# Matthew 6.21 **Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: 20. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: > > **21. for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.** > > 22. The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:19-23, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 19. “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; > > **21. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.** > > 22. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. 23. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matthew 6:19-23, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: > > **21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.** > > 22. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:19-23, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 19. 'Treasure not up to yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust disfigure, and where thieves break through and steal, 20. but treasure up to yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth disfigure, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, > > **21. for where your treasure is, there will be also your heart.** > > 22. 'The lamp of the body is the eye, if, therefore, thine eye may be perfect, all thy body shall be enlightened, 23. but if thine eye may be evil, all thy body shall be dark; if, therefore, the light that [is] in thee is darkness, the darkness, how great! (Matthew 6:19-23, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Matthew (traditionally) the tax-collector-apostle / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching - **Audience:** Jewish-Christian audience (heavy OT-fulfillment emphasis) - **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Antioch (composition) - **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80 ## Theological reading ## Key words - [G2588 - kardia](/codex/g2588-kardia/), *kardia* (Strong's G2588). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/), [Matthew 9.4](/codex/matthew-9-4/), [Matthew 15](/codex/matthew-15/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses. ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Argument from Sanctity](/codex/argument-from-sanctity/), via [Matthew 6.1-21](/codex/matthew-6-1-21/) **Concepts:** - [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 6](/codex/matthew-6/) - [Kingdom Business](/codex/kingdom-business/) - [Sermon on the Mount](/codex/sermon-on-the-mount/), via [Matthew 6](/codex/matthew-6/), [Matthew 6.19-34](/codex/matthew-6-19-34/) **Passages:** - [2 Corinthians 4.6](/codex/2-corinthians-4-6/) - [2 Corinthians 9.6-7](/codex/2-corinthians-9-6-7/) - [2 Corinthians 9.7](/codex/2-corinthians-9-7/) - [Acts 11](/codex/acts-11/) - [Acts 16.14](/codex/acts-16-14/) - [Acts 7.51](/codex/acts-7-51/) - [Ephesians 3.17](/codex/ephesians-3-17/) - [Ephesians 6](/codex/ephesians-6/) - [Galatians 4.6](/codex/galatians-4-6/) - [James 3.14-16](/codex/james-3-14-16/) - [John 12.38-41](/codex/john-12-38-41/) - [John 14.1-7](/codex/john-14-1-7/) - [John 14.27](/codex/john-14-27/) - [John 16.5-15](/codex/john-16-5-15/) - [Luke 10.25-28](/codex/luke-10-25-28/) - [Luke 24.36-42](/codex/luke-24-36-42/) - [Luke 4.16-21](/codex/luke-4-16-21/) - [Luke 4.18](/codex/luke-4-18/) - [Luke 6.17-49](/codex/luke-6-17-49/) - [Luke 6.27-2](/codex/luke-6-27-2/) - [Luke 9.47](/codex/luke-9-47/) - [Mark 12](/codex/mark-12/) - [Mark 12.28-33](/codex/mark-12-28-33/) - [Mark 12.29-30](/codex/mark-12-29-30/) - [Mark 2.1-12](/codex/mark-2-1-12/) - [Mark 2.5-7](/codex/mark-2-5-7/) - [Mark 3.5](/codex/mark-3-5/) - [Mark 6](/codex/mark-6/) - [Mark 6.45-52](/codex/mark-6-45-52/) - [Mark 7.21-23](/codex/mark-7-21-23/) - [Mark 7.6-8](/codex/mark-7-6-8/) - [Matthew 18.23-35](/codex/matthew-18-23-35/) - [Matthew 18.34-35](/codex/matthew-18-34-35/) - [Matthew 22.37](/codex/matthew-22-37/) - [Matthew 22.37-39](/codex/matthew-22-37-39/) - [Matthew 22.37-40](/codex/matthew-22-37-40/) - [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/) - [Matthew 9.4](/codex/matthew-9-4/) - [Matthew 9.4-8](/codex/matthew-9-4-8/) - [Philippians 1.7](/codex/philippians-1-7/) - [Philippians 4.6-7](/codex/philippians-4-6-7/) - [Philippians 4.7](/codex/philippians-4-7/) - [Revelation 18.6-8](/codex/revelation-18-6-8/) - [Romans 1.21-23](/codex/romans-1-21-23/) - [Romans 1.24-26](/codex/romans-1-24-26/) - [Romans 1.24-32](/codex/romans-1-24-32/) - [Romans 10](/codex/romans-10/) - [Romans 10.9-11](/codex/romans-10-9-11/) - [Romans 2.15](/codex/romans-2-15/) - [Romans 2.28-29](/codex/romans-2-28-29/) - [Romans 5.3-5](/codex/romans-5-3-5/) - [Romans 8](/codex/romans-8/) - [Romans 8.26-27](/codex/romans-8-26-27/)