Matthew 6:25
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε· οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος;
For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life—what you will eat or what you will drink—or about your body, what you will wear. Is not the life more than food and the body more than clothing?
The Rationale for Trust
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν – “For this reason I say to you.”
- Διὰ τοῦτο – “because of this,” referring back to the prior teaching on serving God versus wealth (v. 24).
- λέγω ὑμῖν – a solemn introduction to authoritative teaching by Jesus. Present tense indicates ongoing relevance.
The Command Against Anxiety
μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν – “do not worry about your life.”
- μὴ μεριμνᾶτε – present active imperative of μεριμνάω, “to be anxious, worried.” The negative with the present imperative prohibits continued anxiety.
- τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν – “for your life,” where ψυχή here refers to life in the physical, lived sense (not merely the soul).
τί φάγητε καὶ τί πίητε – “what you will eat and what you will drink.”
- Subjunctive verbs implied: standard idiom for expressing concern about future provision.
μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε – “nor about your body, what you will wear.”
- μηδὲ – “nor,” continuing the prohibition into another domain: bodily needs.
- ἐνδύσησθε – aorist subjunctive middle of ἐνδύω, “to clothe.” The use of the subjunctive here conveys future uncertainty.
Rhetorical Question for Reflection
οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος; – “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
- οὐχὶ – emphatic interrogative particle expecting an affirmative answer.
- πλεῖόν – comparative of πολύς, “more, greater in value or importance.”
- ἐστιν – present indicative of εἰμί, linking subject and complement.
Jesus uses a logical argument from the greater to the lesser: if God gave life and the body, won’t He also provide the lesser necessities—food and clothing?
Summary Table
| Greek Phrase | Translation | Form | Function / Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν | For this reason I say to you | Causal phrase + present verb | Introduces key teaching grounded in previous truth |
| μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν | Do not worry about your life | Negative imperative | Directly prohibits ongoing anxious concern |
| μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε | nor about your body, what you will wear | Negative subjunctive clause | Extends the prohibition to physical needs |
| οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστιν…; | Is not life more than…? | Rhetorical question | Appeals to logic and divine priority |
Closing Insight
In this opening statement of Jesus’ teaching against worry, the Greek is rich in clarity and persuasion. The grammar uses imperatives, participles, and rhetorical contrast to shift the disciple’s focus away from anxiety and toward divine provision. The logic is elegantly simple: if God has given the greater (life and body), how much more will He supply the lesser (food and clothing)?
