Matthew 6:19

Lasting Treasure

6:19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth 1  and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

Matthew 26:61

26:61 and declared, “This man 2  said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

Matthew 6:20

6:20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

Matthew 27:40

27:40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! 3  If you are God’s Son, come down 4  from the cross!”

1 tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.

2 tn Grk “This one.”

3 sn There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, “save yourself!” and “come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life.

4 tc ‡ Many important witnesses (א* A D pc it sy[s],p) read καί (kai, here with the force of “then”) before κατάβηθι (katabhqi, “come down”). The shorter reading may well be due to homoioarcton, but judging by the diverse external evidence (א2 B L W Θ 0250 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat) it is equally possible that the shorter reading is original (and is so considered for this translation). NA27 puts the καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.