Matthew 6:19 Meaning and Explanation
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus warns us not to pour our lives into treasures that cannot last.
The Context of Matthew 6:19
Part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus turns from prayer and giving to the question of what we truly value. The next verse offers the contrast: treasure laid up in heaven, which nothing can touch.
What Does Matthew 6:19 Mean?
Jesus names three quiet thieves that come for earthly treasure. Moth eats the fine cloth that once signaled wealth. Rust corrodes the metal and the grain in the storehouse. And thieves dig through the mud-brick walls of a house to carry off what is hidden inside. Everything we store down here is exposed to time and loss. Jesus is honest about it: the treasures of earth are always slipping away, even while we hold them.
He does not say these things to make us anxious but to set us free. Our hearts were made for a treasure that cannot decay or be stolen, and in the very next breath He points us to it (Matthew 6:20). The treasure that lasts is found with God, and ultimately in Christ Himself, who outlasts every moth and every thief. He gently turns our eyes from what we will lose toward what we can never lose.
Matthew 6:19 in the Original Language
thesauros (θησαυρός), 'treasure' -- a store of valued things, also the place where they are kept; what we prize and protect.
How to Apply Matthew 6:19 Today
This verse invites us to hold our possessions loosely, knowing time will take them in the end. It does not shame us for having things; it frees us from giving them our hearts. We can spend our lives on what lasts, and find our deepest treasure in Christ.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 6:19
What does Matthew 6:19 mean?
Jesus warns us not to pour our lives into treasures that cannot last.
What is the context of Matthew 6:19?
Part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus turns from prayer and giving to the question of what we truly value. The next verse offers the contrast: treasure laid up in heaven, which nothing can touch.
How can I apply Matthew 6:19 today?
This verse invites us to hold our possessions loosely, knowing time will take them in the end. It does not shame us for having things; it frees us from giving them our hearts. We can spend our lives on what lasts, and find our deepest treasure in Christ.