6:33a
But: There is a contrast between 6:31–32 and 6:33. The contrast is between what believers should not seek (food, drink, and clothes) and what they should seek (the kingdom of God). The Berean Standard Bible introduces this contrast with the conjunction But.
Here are some other ways to introduce this contrast:
Instead ⌊of seeking all those things like the Gentiles do⌋
-or-
Instead ⌊of worrying⌋
seek first the kingdom of God: The clause seek first the kingdom of God means that a believer’s priority must be to “desire, want, wish for, or look/search for the things that are important in the kingdom of God.”
The word first in this context refers to priority or importance. It does not refer to time. Jesus’ disciples are to make their greatest concern the kingdom of God. Their greatest concern must not be food, drink, clothes, and other things.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God (Good News Translation)
-or-
The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom (New Century Version)
-or-
concentrate/focus on the things that are important in the kingdom of God
-or-
Make God’s rule ⌊over you⌋ the most important issue ⌊in your life⌋
the kingdom of God: The phrase the kingdom of God refers to God’s activity of ruling and caring for his people as their king. It also refers to the relationship that God has with his people. He leads, protects, and cares for them. They obey, trust, and submit to him as their king. The phrase the kingdom of God does not refer to a land or country that he rules over.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
• As a noun. For example:
the kingdom of God
-or-
God’s kingship
-or-
God’s rule over people
• As a verbal expression. For example:
the way that God rules his people
-or-
the way that God cares for his people as king
See how you translated “kingdom of heaven” in 5:3, 5:19, and 5:20. See also kingdom of heaven in the Glossary for more information.
and His righteousness: The phrase His righteousness refers to “what God requires people to do.”
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
and with what he requires of you (Good News Translation)
-or-
and ⌊seek to live according to⌋ what he considers right/straight
-or-
and live the righteous life that he wants
-or-
and do what he wants (Contemporary English Version)
See the note on 5:6a and 6:1a and consider how you translated righteousness there.
6:33b
and all these things will be added unto you: The phrase all these things refers to the food, drink, and clothes mentioned in 6:25–31. The verb will be added means “will be provided” or “will be given.”
The verb will be added is passive.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
• As a passive. For example:
Then all these things will be provided for you. (God’s Word)
-or-
Then all these other things you need will be given to you. (New Century Version)
• As an active. For example:
and he will provide you with all these other things (Good News Translation)
-or-
and he will give you everything you need (New Living Translation (2004))
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