Matthew 6:25-7:23

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Cure for Anxiety

²⁵ “This is why I tell you:^(A) 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?^{(B) 26} Look at 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?^{(C) 27} Can any of you add a single cubit to his height^[a] by worrying? ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothes? Learn 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?^{(D) 31} So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³² For the idolaters^[b] eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God^[c](E) and His righteousness,^(F) and all these things will be provided for you.^{(G) 34} Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble^(H) of its own.

Do Not Judge

7 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.^{(I) 2} For with the judgment you use,^[d] you will be judged, and with the measure you use,^[e] it will be measured to you.^{(J) 3} Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye?^{(K) 4} Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. ⁶ Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs,^(L) or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

Keep Asking, Searching, Knocking

⁷ “Keep asking,^[f](M) and it will be given to you.^(N) Keep searching,^[g] and you will find. Keep knocking,^[h] and the door^[i] will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds,^(O) and to the one who knocks, the door^[j] will be opened. ⁹ What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil,^(P) know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! ¹² Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets.^[k](Q)

Entering the Kingdom

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(R) For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction,^(S) and there are many who go through it. ¹⁴ How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets^(T) who come to you in sheep’s^(U) clothing^(V) but inwardly are ravaging wolves.^{(W) 16} You’ll recognize them by their fruit.^(X) Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?^{(Y) 17} In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(Z) 20} So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.^(AA)

²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(AB) but only the one who does the will^(AC) of My Father in heaven.^{(AD) 22} On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons^(AE) in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’^{(AF) 23} Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’^[l](AG)[m]