God and Possessions

¹⁹ “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures^[a] on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.^{(A) 20} But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,^(B) where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!^(C)

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. ^(D)

The Cure for Anxiety

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you:^(E) Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?^{(F) 26} Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?^{(G) 27} Can any of you add one moment to his life span^[b] by worrying? ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. ³⁰ If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?^{(H) 31} So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God^[c](I) and his righteousness,^(J) and all these things will be provided for you.^{(K) 34} Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble^(L) of its own.

Do Not Judge

7 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.^{(A) 2} For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.^{(B) 3} Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?^{(C) 4} Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. ⁶ Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs,^(D) or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.^(A)

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.

³² Don’t be afraid,^(A) little flock,^(B) because your Father delights^(C) to give you the kingdom.^{(D) 33} Sell^(E) your possessions and give to the poor.^(F) Make money-bags^(G) for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure^(H) in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.^(I)