Matthew 6:25Therefore, I tell you, don't be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
The setting
Galilee, ~28 AD. Jesus sits on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee, teaching thousands who walked miles to hear him. Modern-day northern Israel.
The emotion here: compassionate urgency seeing people consumed by survival fears
The original word
merimnao (μεριμνάω) — to be pulled apart mentally, divided attention
Why it matters
The average Palestinian peasant lived one day from starvation
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 6:25
Jesus isn't saying don't plan — he's saying don't let worry divide your mind
Common misconceptionPeople think this means don't work or save money. Jesus is addressing paralyzing anxiety, not responsible planning. He's saying worry won't add a single day to your life.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 6:25
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 6:25 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 6:25 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Jesus. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 85% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include anxiety, provision, priorities. Notable phrases: don't be anxious; life more than food; body more than clothing. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Matthew 6:25 mean to you, today?
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