Matthew 6:19 (GNV)

Passage

Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon the earth, where the mothe and canker corrupt, and where theeues digge through and steale.

Nearby Context

Matthew 6:17 But when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face,

Matthew 6:18 That thou seeme not vnto men to fast, but vnto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret, will rewarde thee openly.

Matthew 6:19 Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon the earth, where the mothe and canker corrupt, and where theeues digge through and steale.

Matthew 6:20 But lay vp treasures for your selues in heauen, where neither the mothe nor canker corrupteth, and where theeues neither digge through, nor steale.

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "treasures", "selues", "vpon", "earth", "where", "mothe", "canker", and "corrupt". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "treasures" and "selues", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "That thou seeme not vnto men to..." into verse 20's "But lay vp treasures for your selues...", so "treasures" and "selues" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "treasures" and "selues" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.