King James Bible
"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?"
Jesus directs attention to birds as a teaching illustration, using nature to demonstrate spiritual truth. The imperative 'behold' calls for careful observation of God's providence in the natural world. Birds engage in no agricultural labor or food storage—activities that defined survival in first-century agrarian society. This highlights their complete dependence on daily provision rather than accumulated security. Despite birds' lack of human industry, God ensures their sustenance through natural means. The personal term 'your heavenly Father' emphasizes God's intimate relationship with the audience, not just creation generally. This rhetorical question argues from lesser to greater: if God cares for birds, how much more will he provide for humans who bear his image. The logic combats anxiety by establishing human beings' greater value in God's economy.