21. “This is how it will be for those who store up things for themselves and are not rich toward God.”
22. Jesus said to his followers, “So I tell you, don’t worry about the food you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body.
23. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.
24. Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest, they don’t have storerooms or barns, but God feeds them. And you are worth much more than birds.
25. You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.
26. If you cannot do even the little things, then why worry about the big things?
27. Consider how the lilies grow; they don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.
28. God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So how much more will God clothe you? Don’t have so little faith!
29. Don’t always think about what you will eat or what you will drink, and don’t keep worrying.
30. All the people in the world are trying to get these things, and your Father knows you need them.
31. But seek God’s kingdom, and all your other needs will be met as well.
32. “Don’t fear, little flock, because your Father wants to give you the kingdom.
33. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can’t steal and moths can’t destroy.
34. Your heart will be where your treasure is.
35. “Be dressed, ready for service, and have your lamps shining.
36. Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party. When he comes and knocks, the servants immediately open the door for him.
37. They will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that they were watching for him. I tell you the truth, the master will dress himself to serve and tell the servants to sit at the table, and he will serve them.
38. Those servants will be blessed when he comes in and finds them still waiting, even if it is midnight or later.
39. “Remember this: If the owner of the house knew what time a thief was coming, he would not allow the thief to enter his house.