Matthew 6:19 (LSB)

Passage

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

Nearby Context

Matthew 6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face

Matthew 6:18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

Matthew 6:20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

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

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "store", "yourselves", "treasures", "earth", "where", "moth", "rust", and "destroy". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "store" and "yourselves", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "so that your fasting will not be..." into verse 20's "But store up for yourselves treasures in...", so "store" and "yourselves" 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 "store" and "yourselves" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.