King James Version · read & reflect
Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6
What Philippians 4:6 means
Philippians 4:6 is Paul's antidote to anxiety, and it comes just before the famous promise of peace in the next verse. 'Be careful for nothing' is older English for 'be anxious for nothing.' The remedy Paul offers is not willpower but redirection — turning every worry into prayer, and prayer shaped by thanksgiving. The result, verse 7 promises, is 'the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,' standing guard over heart and mind.
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Philippians 4:6 mean?
- It tells anxious people what to do with worry: bring it to God. Instead of being anxious about anything, turn each concern into thankful prayer — and, as the next verse promises, God's peace will guard your heart and mind.
- What does 'be careful for nothing' mean?
- In the King James English, 'careful' means 'full of care' or anxious. The verse says: be anxious for nothing — not carelessness, but freedom from worry through prayer.