Does "take no thought" mean Christians shouldn't plan for their needs?

Chuck Smith, Sermon on the Mount Study Guide, Matthew 6: Our Relationship with God: “Take no thought” here means “take no anxious thought” or “don’t be worried”. Jesus isn’t suggesting that we do nothing to meet our physical needs, but that we keep our needs in the proper perspective, and trust God rather than worrying about them. We should, “do our best and commit the rest.” Scripture, King James Version: Matthew 6:25, "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?". Study notes condensed from his teaching by The Word For Today. From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.

Verified. Every scripture quotation on this page has been checked word-for-word against the King James text. Last reviewed 2026-10-18.