Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God: Matthew 6:33 Meaning
Summary: Matthew 6:33 means we should make God's kingdom and His righteousness our first priority, trusting Him to provide what we need. Jesus spoke it in the Sermon on the Mount to people worried about food and clothing. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" is not a formula for wealth. It is an invitation to put God first and let go of anxious striving.
Scripture quotations in this guide are from the King James Version (KJV).
Matthew 6:33 is one of those verses many people know by heart, often from an old worship song. It is short, memorable and deeply practical. Yet its meaning is richer than a quick reading suggests. Jesus was not only telling us what to prioritize. He was offering freedom from a life ruled by worry.
In this guide we will look at the verse in its setting, unpack what "the kingdom of God" and "his righteousness" mean, and explore how to seek God first in a busy, modern life. If you enjoy studying verses in context, our guide to Bible verses and their meaning is a helpful companion.
What does Matthew 6:33 say?
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
The verse has a command and a promise. The command is to seek first God's kingdom and righteousness. The promise is that "all these things" will be added. To understand what "these things" are, we need to read the verses around it.
What is the context of Matthew 6:33?
Matthew 5 to 7 is known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' longest recorded teaching. In chapter 6, Jesus talks about prayer, fasting, giving and money. Then He turns to a very human subject: worry.
"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." (Matthew 6:31-32)
"These things" are food, drink and clothing: the basic needs of daily life. Jesus is speaking to ordinary people, many of whom lived close to the edge. He does not dismiss their needs. He says their Father already knows them.
Just before this, Jesus pointed to the birds who are fed and the lilies who are clothed:
"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." (Matthew 6:28-29)
And just after, He says, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow" (Matthew 6:34). Matthew 6:33 sits right in the middle of a passage about trusting God instead of worrying. It is Jesus' answer to anxiety: change what comes first.
What is "the kingdom of God"?
The kingdom of God is God's rule and reign. It is wherever God is honored as King and His will is done. Jesus taught us to pray for it:
"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)
The kingdom is both present and future. It arrived in a new way when Jesus came, preaching that "the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). It grows today in the lives of people who follow Him. And it will be fully revealed when Christ returns and makes all things new.
Paul describes what the kingdom is really about:
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17)
To seek the kingdom first is to care most about what God cares about: His name honored, His will done, people brought into His family and His goodness shown in the world. Our guide Who is Jesus? explores the King at the center of the kingdom.
What does "and his righteousness" mean?
Righteousness means being right with God and living rightly before Him. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes a righteousness that goes deeper than outward rule-keeping. It reaches the heart: loving enemies, forgiving freely, giving quietly and praying sincerely.
Christians believe we cannot produce this righteousness on our own. It is first a gift we receive through faith in Jesus, and then a life the Holy Spirit grows in us. Seeking His righteousness means wanting to be the kind of person God's kingdom produces: honest, generous, humble and loving.
What does "seek first" really mean?
The word "first" is about priority, not just order on a to-do list. Jesus is not saying, "Pray in the morning and then forget God for the rest of the day." He is saying God's kingdom should be the top concern that shapes every other concern.
A few verses earlier, Jesus put it plainly:
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)
"Mammon" means money or material wealth. We all have something that sits at the center of our hearts. Jesus invites us to make sure it is God, because "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21).
The verb "seek" is also active and ongoing. It suggests continually looking, pursuing and returning. Seeking God first is not a one-time decision but a daily direction.
Why does seeking God first free us from worry?
It may seem surprising that Jesus answers worry with a call to new priorities rather than a list of coping tips. But His logic is deep. Worry often grows when we carry responsibilities that were never ours to carry alone. When our own security, success and comfort sit at the center of life, everything feels fragile, because everything depends on us.
When God's kingdom sits at the center, the weight shifts. We are still responsible to work, plan and care for others, but the final outcome rests with a Father who knows what we need. Jesus reminds us that worry cannot add even a little to our lives (Matthew 6:27). Trust, on the other hand, frees our hearts to live fully in today.
Seeking first also changes what we notice. Instead of scanning the day for threats, we begin looking for where God is at work and how we can join Him. That shift does not make problems disappear, but it puts them in their proper place: real, but smaller than the God who holds us. Our guide Why is prayer important? shows how prayer is one of the main ways we hand our cares to God.
Does Matthew 6:33 promise wealth?
No. Some people read this verse as a guarantee that putting God first will make them rich. That is not what Jesus taught. "All these things" refers to the basic needs He just mentioned: food, drink and clothing. The promise is that our Father will care for His children, not that we will have everything we want.
The same chapter warns against storing up treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19-20). Jesus is setting us free from the love of money, not encouraging it. Many faithful believers have known seasons of real need. God's promise is His care and provision, often through His people, and His presence in every circumstance. If you are wrestling with hard seasons, our article Why does God allow suffering? may help.
How do I seek first the kingdom of God in everyday life?
Seeking God first is less about dramatic gestures and more about daily choices. Here are practical ways to live it:
Start the day with God
Before checking your phone, give God the first moments of your day. Read a short passage, pray the Lord's Prayer slowly, or simply say, "Lord, Your kingdom come in my life today." Our beginner's guide to prayer can help you build this habit.
Bring your needs to God instead of carrying them alone
When worry about money, work or the future rises, turn it into prayer. Jesus says your Father knows what you need. Tell Him, then leave it with Him.
Let God shape your decisions
Ask, "Which choice honors God's kingdom?" when deciding how to spend time, money and energy. This does not always make choices easy, but it makes them clearer.
Give generously
Generosity loosens money's grip on the heart and shows trust in God's provision. Giving to your church and to people in need is a practical way of seeking the kingdom.
Serve and love the people around you
The kingdom shows up in kindness, forgiveness and service. Helping a neighbor, encouraging a coworker or caring for family are all kingdom work. Our guide to living your faith every day has more ideas.
Rest in God's care
Seeking God first also means trusting Him enough to rest. Jesus' words about birds and lilies are an invitation to stop striving anxiously and live as a loved child of the Father.
A visible reminder can help keep your focus. Our Seek Ye First the Kingdom T-Shirt carries this verse into everyday life and can open simple conversations about what it means to put God first.
A prayer based on Matthew 6:33
Father, You know everything I need before I ask. Forgive me for the times I have put other things first and let worry run my heart. Today I choose to seek Your kingdom and Your righteousness above all. Let Your will be done in my work, my home and my choices. Provide what I need, and help me trust You with tomorrow. In Jesus' name, amen.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main point of Matthew 6:33?
The main point is priority and trust. Put God's kingdom and righteousness first, and trust your heavenly Father to provide what you need. It is Jesus' answer to worry about daily necessities.
What are "all these things" in Matthew 6:33?
In context, "all these things" are the basic needs Jesus mentions in Matthew 6:31-32: food, drink and clothing. God knows we need them and promises to care for His children.
Is Matthew 6:33 the same as Luke 12:31?
They are closely related. Luke 12:31 records a similar teaching: "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." Both appear in passages about not worrying.
Does seeking God first mean I should not plan or work?
No. The Bible values diligent work and wise planning. Seeking God first means those plans are shaped by His priorities and held with trust rather than anxiety.
Where does "seek ye first" come from in the Bible?
The phrase comes from Matthew 6:33 in the King James Version, part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 to 7.
