Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God...

Spoken to: 

audience

Sermon on Mount, law and fulfillment, visible and hidden, temporary and permanent, worry and trust

KJV: 

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

NIV : 

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Seek, however, first that realm and that virtue of His, and all these things? They will be handed over to you.

MY TAKE: 

By discovering hidden, higher, permanent truths, we address our temporary needs.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

ζητεῖτε δὲ            πρῶτον τὴν  βασιλείαν καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ,
Seek,   however, first       that realm        and that virtue           of His,

καὶ ταῦτα           πάντα        προστεθήσεται                 ὑμῖν.
and these things all             They will be handed over to you.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The verb "seek" in this verse is the root form of the verb translated as "seek after/run after" in the previous verse.

This word translated as "righteousness" has the sense of "virtue." It is usually applied to the virtue of people, but here it describes the virtue of the Divine.

The "all of these things" in this verse is the same Greek words used at the beginning the previous verse and a variation of that phrase at its end. This phrase is plural but the verb is singular because in ancient Greek, plural neutral subjects are treated as a single conglomeration.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

2
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "of God" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the one we used today.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "righteousness" is not shown in the English translation.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

4
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "his" should be "the."
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "righteousness" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "given" should be "added."
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "as well" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

But  - The Greek word translated as"but" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

seek  - The Greek verb translated as "seek ye" has a variety of meanings ranging from "seek after" to "desire", but Christ uses it to mean "aim". It is the root word of the word translated in the previous verse KJV, Matthew 6:32, as "seek after", which has more the sense of "search after". 

ye -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.

first  - The word translated as "first" takes a lot of different types of "first" meanings from its context. Here, it is technically an adjective but it plays the role of the English adverb "initially."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those") that the English "the." See this article for more. 

kingdom  - The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so translating it as "reign" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will. More about the meaning of the "kingdom of heaven" in this article.

of God, -- (OS) This word "of"  comes from the genitive case of the following word that required the addition of a preposition in English.   The word translated as "God" means "God" and "deity." It is introduced with an article, so "the God."

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.   This pronoun follows the noun so "of his." The "his" here is in a form that refers to "the Father" mentioned in the previous verse, Matthew 6:32.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. 

righteousness;  - The Greek word translated as "righteousness," means "righteousness", "justice", and "fulfillment of the law". When this word applies to people, "virtue" may come closest because we don't use "righteousness" very much anymore. However, when applied to God, "justice" seems closer to the idea since this refers to the business of a judge.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

all  - The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." It is in the form to modify "these things". 

these things  - The "these things" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," the nearer or the further depending on usage.  It is not typically used as an adjective. Since it is plural, neutral, "these things" captures it. 

shall -- This helping verb "shall" indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

added -- The Greek word translated as "added" means "to apply", "to deliver," "to impose upon," and many other ideas. The word literally means "to put in addition to" or "put before". In Matthew 6:27, it was translated simply as "add" referring to "age," but here that "put before" you sense seems to work better. It is passive, referring to "these all".

unto -- This word "unto" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English, but the translator must decide which preposition to use: a "to" as an indirect object,

you.  - The "you" is in the form of an indirect object. It is plural.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

But  - The Greek word translated as"but" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

seek  - The Greek verb translated as "seek ye" has a variety of meanings ranging from "seek after" to "desire", but Christ uses it to mean "aim". It is the root word of the word translated in the previous verse KJV, Matthew 6:32, as "seek after", which has more the sense of "search after". 

first  - The word translated as "first" takes a lot of different types of "first" meanings from its context. Here, it is technically an adjective but it plays the role of the English adverb "initially."

his -- (WW) The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those") that the English "the." See this article for more. 

kingdom  - The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so translating it as "reign" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will. More about the meaning of the "kingdom of heaven" in this article.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

his -- The word translated as "his" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.   This pronoun follows the noun so "of his." The "his" here is in a form that refers to "the Father" mentioned in the previous verse, Matthew 6:32.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, "the." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. 

righteousness;  - The Greek word translated as "righteousness," means "righteousness", "justice", and "fulfillment of the law". When this word applies to people, "virtue" may come closest because we don't use "righteousness" very much anymore. However, when applied to God, "justice" seems closer to the idea since this refers to the business of a judge.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

all  - The word translated as "all" is the Greek adjective meaning "all", "the whole", "every," and similar ideas. When it is used as a noun, we would say "everything." It is in the form to modify "these things". 

these things  - The "these things" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," the nearer or the further depending on usage.  It is not typically used as an adjective. Since it is plural, neutral, "these things"

will -- This helping verb "will " indicates that the verb is the future tense. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

be -- This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

given -- (WW)  The Greek word translated as "given" means "to apply", "to deliver," "to impose upon," and many other ideas. The word literally means "to put in addition to" or "put before". In Matthew 6:27, it was translated simply as "add" referring to "age," but here that "put before" you sense seems to work better. It is passive, referring to "these all".

to -- This word "unto" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English, but the translator must decide which preposition to use: a "to" as an indirect object,

you.  - The "you" is in the form of an indirect object. It is plural.

as well. -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "as well" in the Greek source.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

ζητεῖτε (2nd pl pres imperat act or 2nd pl pres ind act) "Seek ye" is from zeteo, which means "inquire for", "search for", "seek after", "desire", and "feel the want of." The phrase that seems closest to capturing all its meaning in English is "to look for".

δὲ (partic) "But" is from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be a weak connective ("and") and explanation of cause ("so").

πρῶτον (adj sg masc acc) "First" is from protos. In place, this means "the foremost." Of time, it means "the initial." In order, it means "the first." In math, it means the prime numbers. Of rank or degree, it means "the highest" or "the best."

τὴν (article sg fem acc)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

βασιλείαν (noun sg fem acc) "The kingdom" is from basileia, which means "kingdom", "dominion", "hereditary monarchy", "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign."

καὶ (conj) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just."

τὴν (article sg fem acc)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). --

δικαιοσύνην (noun sg fem acc) "Righteousness" is from dikaiosyne, which means "righteousness", "justice", "fulfillment of the law," and "the business of a judge." It carries the sense of virtue but specifically that of fulfilling legal or social requirements

αὐτοῦ, (adj sg masc gen ) "His" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself", "yourself", "himself", "herself", "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him", "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."

καὶ (and)"And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even", "also," and "just."

ταῦτα (adj pl neut nom) "These things" is from tauta, which is a referring pronoun meaning "these", "this", "that," and "here." It can mean the nearer or the further depending on usage. As an adverb it can mean "therefore" and "that is why."

πάντα (adj pl neut nom) "All" is from pas, which means "all", "the whole", "every", "anyone", "all kinds," and "anything."

προστεθήσεται [7 verses] (3rd sg fut ind pass) "Shall be added" is prostithemi, which is formed from two root words that mean "to put towards" and means to "put to", "to hold close", "to apply medicine [to a wound]", "to hand over", "to give something more", "to impose upon", "to attribute to", "to add", "to agree", "to associate with", "to bring upon oneself," and "to apply to oneself."

ὑμῖν. (pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is from humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

Jun 25 2020