Question 1

What does "Take No Thought" mean in the King James Bible?

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Take No Thought" means "do not worry." The distinction between thinking and worrying. 'Take no thought for the morrow' did not prohibit planning or foresight but the anxious, tormenting, consuming worry that devours the present moment. 'Thought' in this sense was mental suffering -- being taken captive by anxiety about tomorrow. Jesus prohibited worry, not wisdom.

Question 2

Why did the word "Take No Thought" disappear from modern English?

Accepted Answer

'Take thought' shifted from 'be anxious/worry/be tormented with care' (Old English meaning tied to anxiety) to 'consider/think about,' making Jesus's command against anxiety sound like a command against planning. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by ~1750.

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Take No Thought"?

Accepted Answer

"Take No Thought" was replaced by: "do not worry" (though this modern and flat; 'take no thought' carried the weight of the greek merimnao -- to be torn apart by anxiety); "do not be anxious" (though this clinical; the kjv phrase conveyed the active, consuming nature of worry -- thought that takes you, seizes you).

What Does “Take No Thought” Mean in the Bible?

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