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In the quest to uncover the original wording of Matthew 6:25, we are confronted with a textual variation that reveals the intricacies of the manuscript tradition and the challenges inherent in determining the earliest form of the New Testament text. This analysis employs a documentary approach, granting precedence to the physical manuscripts themselves, while also integrating internal evidence to inform our understanding. In aligning with this methodology, we exhibit a preference for the Alexandrian manuscripts, due to their antiquity and textual fidelity, though our consideration remains inclusive of the broader manuscript corpus.

Matthew 6:25 presents three primary readings:

TR WH NU The reading adopted by the Textus Receptus (TR), Westcott-Hort (WH), and the Nestle-Aland United Bible Societies (NU) text: “τί φάγητε [ἢ τί πίητε]” (“what you eat or what you drink”), with support from Codex Vaticanus (B), Codex Washingtonianus (W), and others.
Variant 1 A variant that reads “τι φαγητε και τι πιητε” (“what you eat and what you drink”), found in Codex Regius (L) and other witnesses.
Variant 2 Another variant, which omits mention of drink altogether: “τι φαγητε” (“what you eat”), evidenced in Codex Sinaiticus (א) and several other sources.

The variation among these readings illuminates the scribal practices and theological emphases of early Christian communities. The first variant introduces a coordinating conjunction “και” (“and”), suggesting a more inclusive approach to daily sustenance. The second variant simplifies the text to focus solely on eating, potentially reflecting an original emphasis that was later expanded to include drinking.

The assimilation observed in the first reading to Matthew 6:31 may indicate a scribal tendency towards harmonization within the textual tradition, seeking to unify thematic elements of the discourse on worry and divine providence. Such assimilations are not uncommon in the manuscript tradition and often signal the scribe’s engagement with the text’s theological and pastoral implications.

In evaluating the documentary evidence, the manuscripts supporting each reading reflect a diverse and geographically dispersed textual tradition. Codex Sinaiticus, dating to 330-360 C.E., and Codex Vaticanus, dating to 300-330 C.E., offer significant, albeit differing, testimonies to the verse’s original form. The presence of the shortest reading in Codex Sinaiticus, a witness of paramount importance in the Alexandrian text-type, lends weight to the argument for its originality.

Internal considerations further illuminate the textual discussion. The principle of lectio brevior potior suggests a preference for the shorter reading, especially in the absence of compelling reasons for omission. The simplicity and poetic balance of “τι φαγητε … τι ενδυσησθε” (“what you eat … what you are clothed with”), without the addition of “ἢ τί πίητε” (“or what you drink”), aligns with the broader rhetorical structure of Jesus’ teaching in this passage, emphasizing reliance on divine provision.

Taking into account both the documentary evidence and internal analysis, the most probable original reading of Matthew 6:25 appears to be the shorter variant, “τι φαγητε” (“what you eat”). This reading not only reflects the earliest manuscript evidence but also maintains the thematic coherence and rhetorical elegance of Jesus’ admonition against worry. This conclusion exemplifies the careful and considered approach required in textual criticism, marrying respect for the manuscript tradition with a discerning analysis of the text’s internal dynamics to approach the New Testament’s original wording.

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is the CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored more than 220 books and is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).