Matthew 6:34—“Do Not Worry About Tomorrow”

“Never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles.”—Matthew 6:34, New World Translation.

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”—Matthew 6:34, New International Version.

Meaning of Matthew 6:34

Jesus, who spoke those words, assured his listeners that they would not need to be overly worried, or unduly anxious, about future problems. Instead, they would benefit from taking life’s problems one day at a time.

Jesus did not mean that we should avoid thinking about tomorrow or planning for the future. (Proverbs 21:5) Rather, he was helping us not to have excessive worry, or anxiety, about what may happen tomorrow. Such anxiety could rob us of joy and distract us from the tasks at hand. We cannot solve future problems by worrying about them today. And what we worry about often fails to happen or does not turn out as bad as we thought.

Context of Matthew 6:34

These words of Jesus are part of his famous Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5-7. In his sermon, Jesus explained that undue anxiety cannot improve or extend our life. (Matthew 6:27) He also said that when we put God first in our life, we do not need to be overly anxious about tomorrow. God cares for the plants and animals, and he will also care for those who serve him.—Matthew 6:25, 26, 28-33.