What Does Matthew 6:34 Mean in the King James?
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same word names both today’s anxious care and tomorrow’s own, giving tomorrow a burden that belongs to it.
THE MEANING
The verse speaks into the present without denying that today contains evil or trouble. Today’s trouble belongs to today; tomorrow’s concerns are not here yet.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that carrying tomorrow’s troubles today gives you more control over them.
THE ROOT
μεριμνάω
merimnaō
GROWS FROM
μεριμν-
merimn-
Care or anxious concern; the word here names burdening concern, not neutral thought.
“take thought” in this verse is merimnaō. The same verb appears first in the command about today and again when tomorrow is pictured as taking thought for itself. English can make both sound like ordinary thinking, but the repeated Greek word gives the verse a sharper shape: anxious care reaches toward the future, while the future is assigned its own care.
ALSO GROWS
merimna: Care, anxiety, or concern.
μέριμνα
This noun names the kind of burden cast in 1 Peter 5:7, showing care as something that can be carried or cast.
merimnaō: To be anxious or to care.
μεριμνάω
This same verb appears in Philippians 4:6, linking the command here with another passage about how anxious care is held.
THE PATTERN
Care has a daily measure and can be placed beyond the self instead of being carried ahead of its time.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.THE THREAD
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.Be careful translates μεριμνάω (merimnaō, to be anxious or care), the same verb repeated in Matthew 6:34. Matthew gives tomorrow its own care; Philippians shows that anxious care can be voiced beyond the self.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us