"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
— Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
Matthew 6:33 is the "seek ye first the kingdom of God" verse. This page gives the verse, the passage around it, and a plain reading. For more verses on the theme, see Bible verses about the kingdom of God, Bible verses about seeking God, and Bible verses about worry.
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The verse
Matthew 6:33 (NIV) reads: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
The King James says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." "Seek" is zēteō (G2212), to look for or strive after. "Kingdom" is basileia (G932), God's rule and reign. "Righteousness" is dikaiosynē (G1343), and "added" is prostithēmi (G4369), to put to or add on.
The passage around it
The verse comes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), in a section about worry. It starts at verse 25: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?"
Jesus points to the birds: "your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26). Just before verse 33 he says, "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them" (Matthew 6:32). Right after it: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34).
What the verse is saying
"All these things" are food, drink, and clothes from verses 25-32. Jesus is not saying they do not matter; he says the Father already knows we need them. The point is order: put God's rule and his way of living first, and trust him with the rest.
The verse is the turn in the passage from worry to trust. It is not a formula for getting things; it is an invitation to stop chasing what the Father has already promised to care for. For more on that, see Bible verses about provision, Bible verses about anxiety, and Bible verses about trust.
Questions people ask
What does Matthew 6:33 say?
In the NIV it says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." The KJV says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
What are "all these things" in Matthew 6:33?
They are the needs Jesus just listed in verses 25-32: what you will eat, drink, and wear.
What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God?
It means making God's rule and his righteousness the first priority, ahead of worry about daily needs, because "your heavenly Father knows that you need them" (Matthew 6:32).
What is the context of Matthew 6:33?
It is part of the Sermon on the Mount, in Jesus' teaching on worry (Matthew 6:25-34). Verse 34 follows: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow."
What verse goes well with Matthew 6:33?
1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Philippians 4:13 and Matthew 11:28 also speak to trusting God in daily needs.
