Matthew 6:26 BSB — MannaFest

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?

KJV

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

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Commentary

2 voices

Jerome

Catena Aurea by Aquinas (420)

There be some who, seeking to go beyond the limits of their fathers, and to soar into the air, sink into the deep and are drowned. These will have the birds of the air to mean the Angels, and the other powers in the ministry of God, who without any care of their own are fed by God's providence. But if this be indeed as they would have it, how follows it, said to men, Are not ye of more worth than they?

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

Behold the fowls of the air,.... Not such as are brought up in houses, but which fly abroad in the air, wild; and are not supported by their own, or any human care, but by the care of God: Luk 12:24 particularly mentions the "ravens", referring probably to Psa 147:9, and because they are very voracious creatures: and there it is said, "consider the ravens"; look attentively upon them, and with observation, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns.

The Nineteenth Century4 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Behold the fowls of the air - The second reason why we should not be anxiously concerned about the future, is the example of the smaller animals, which the providence of God feeds without their own labor; though he be not their father. We never knew an earthly father take care of his fowls, and neglect his children; and shall we fear this from our heavenly Father? God forbid!

J.C. Ryle

1816–1900

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew (1856)

These verses are a striking example of the combined wisdom and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching. He knows the heart of a man: he knows that we are always ready to turn off warnings against worldliness by the argument that we cannot help being anxious about the things of this life. “Have we not our families to provide for? Must not our bodily wants be supplied? How can we possibly get through life if we think first of our souls?” The Lord Jesus foresaw such thoughts and furnished an answer.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

28 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ἐμβλέψατε	emblepsate	do look	G1689 →
εἰς	eis	at	G1519 →
τὰ	ta	the	G3588 →
πετεινὰ	peteina	birds	G4071 →
τοῦ	tou	of the	G3588 →
οὐρανοῦ	ouranou	air	G3772 →
ὅτι	hoti	that	G3754 →
οὐ	ou	not	G3756 →
σπείρουσιν	speirousin	they sow	G4687 →
οὐδὲ	oude	nor	G3761 →
θερίζουσιν	therizousin	do they reap	G2325 →
οὐδὲ	oude	nor	G3761 →
συνάγουσιν	sunagousin	do they gather	G4863 →
εἰς	eis	into	G1519 →
ἀποθήκας,	apothēkas	barns —	G596 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ὁ	ho	the	G3588 →
πατὴρ	patēr	Father	G3962 →
ὑμῶν	humōn	of you	G4771 →
ὁ	ho	<the>	G3588 →
οὐράνιος	ouranios	Heavenly	G3770 →
τρέφει	trephei	feeds	G5142 →
αὐτά·	auta	them;	G846 →
οὐχ	ouch	Surely	G3756 →
ὑμεῖς	humeis	you yourselves	G4771 →
μᾶλλον	mallon	much	G3123 →
διαφέρετε	diapherete	are more valuable	G1308 →
αὐτῶν;	autōn	than they?	G846 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk6

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Psalms 147:9
He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.
leads to
- Psalms 104:27–28
  All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Job 38:41
  Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
- Psalms 136:25
  He gives food to every creature. His loving devotion endures forever.
- Psalms 145:15–16
  The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in season.
Through
Job 38:41
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
leads to
- Luke 12:24
  Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Psalms 147:9
  He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.