The Cure for Anxiety

²⁵ “Therefore 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} Consider 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 one moment to his life span^[a] by worrying? ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothes? Observe 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 Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God^[b](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.^{(A) 2} For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.^{(B) 3} Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?^{(C) 4} Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. ⁶ Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs,^(D) or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Search, Knock

⁷ “Ask,^(E) and it will be given to you.^(F) Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door^[a] will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds,^(G) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ⁹ Who 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,^(H) 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, for this is the Law and the Prophets.^(I)

Entering the Kingdom

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(J) For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,^(K) 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 “Be on your guard against false prophets^(L) who come to you in sheep’s^(M) clothing^(N) but inwardly are ravaging wolves.^{(O) 16} You’ll recognize them by their fruit.^(P) Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?^{(Q) 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.^{(R) 20} So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.^(S)

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(T) but only the one who does the will^(U) of my Father in heaven.^{(V) 22} On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons^(W) in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’^{(X) 23} Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’^[b][c](Y)