God’s Word Translation
Matthew 6:26
26“Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
Matthew 6:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
- New International Version (NIV)Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Context of Matthew 6:26
24“No one can serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth. 25“So I tell you to stop worrying about what you will eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothes? “Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27“Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? 28“And why worry about clothes? Notice how the flowers grow in the field. They never work or spin yarn for clothes.
Read all of Matthew 6Matthew 6:26 word by word
ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά· οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Beholdἐμβλέπωemblepō · to look into/uponG1689
- ·εἰςeis · towardG1519
- the fowlsπετεινόςpeteinon · birdG4071
- of the airοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- they sowσπείρωspeirō · to sowG4687
- notοὐou · noG3756
- neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
- do they reapθερίζωtheridō · to reapG2325
- gatherσυνάγωsunagō · to assembleG4863
- barnsἀποθήκηapothēkē · storehouseG596
- yetκαίkai · andG2532
- yourσύsu · youG4771
- heavenlyοὐράνιοςouranios · heavenlyG3770
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- feedethτρέφωtrephō · to feedG5142
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Areδιαφέρωdiapherō · to spread/surpassG1308
- muchμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
Cross-references for Matthew 6:26
- Matthew 10:29“Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s permission.
- Genesis 1:29God said, “I have given you every plant with seeds on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seeds. This will be your food.
- Job 35:11who teaches us more than he teaches the animals of the earth, who makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’
- Job 38:41“Who provides food for the crow when its young ones cry to God and wander around in need of food?
- Psalms 104:11Every wild animal drinks ⌞from them⌟. Wild donkeys quench their thirst.
- Psalms 145:15The eyes of all creatures look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
- Psalms 147:9He is the one who gives food to animals and to young ravens when they call out.
- Luke 12:6“Aren’t five sparrows sold for two cents? God doesn’t forget any of them.
- Matthew 6:32Everyone is concerned about these things, and your heavenly Father certainly knows you need all of them.
- Matthew 7:9“If your child asks you for bread, would any of you give him a stone?
Commentaries on Matthew 6:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Behold the fowls of the air - The second reason why we should not be anxiously concerned about the future, is the example of the smaller animals, which the providence of God feeds without their own labor; though he be not their father. We never knew an earthly father take care of his fowls, and neglect his children; and shall we fear this from our heavenly Father? God forbid! That man is utterly unworthy to have God for his father, who depends less upon…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Behold the fowls of the air - The second argument for confidence in the providence of God is derived from a beautiful reference to the fowls or feathered tribes. See, said the Saviour, see the fowls of the air: they have no anxiety about the supply of their wants; they do not sow or reap; they fill the grove with music, and meet the coming light of the morning with their songs, and pour their notes on the zephyrs of the evening, unanxious about the supply…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-34Verses 25-34 There is scarcely any sin against which our Lord Jesus more warns his disciples, than disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of this life. This often insnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does the rich. But there is a carefulness about temporal things which is a duty, though we must not carry these lawful cares too far. Take no thought for your life. Not about the length of it; but refer it to God to lengthen…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26Jesus teaches by moving from lesser to greater: If God the Father cares for the birds (the lesser), he will surely care for his disciples (the greater). Because the disciples are much more valuable to him, they can trust that he will provide for their needs (see also Matthew 10:29–31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. Behold the fowls of the air--in Mt 6:28, "observe well," and in Lu 12:24, "consider"--so as to learn wisdom from them. for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?--nobler in yourselves and dearer to God. The argument here is from the greater to the less; but how rich in detail! The brute creation--void of reason--are incapable of sowing, reaping, and storing…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 6:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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