Matthew 6:33 — "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." — is the verse of priorities. It appears on the bodies of Christians who have made an explicit decision to put God above career, status, or comfort.
Matthew 6:33 sits at the conclusion of one of Jesus' most direct teachings — the Sermon on the Mount's passage on worry (Matthew 6:25-34). Jesus had just commanded his disciples to stop worrying about food and clothing because their Father knows their needs. Verse 33 is the positive command: don't make your needs the focus, make God's kingdom the focus, and trust him with the needs. For many Christians, this verse marks a specific decision: to take a lower-paying job that fits God's calling, to invest in family over career advancement, to give generously instead of accumulating. The text is short (46 characters), so it fits anywhere. Common format: full verse on forearm, "Seek first the kingdom" truncated on wrist, or reference alone.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.”
“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
“Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink.”
“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink.”
In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus commands his disciples to stop worrying about food and clothing. Verse 33 is the positive form of that command: instead of making your needs the focus of your effort and anxiety, make God's kingdom the focus, and trust him to handle your needs. "Seek first" is the priority command (kingdom comes first); "and all these things will be added" is the promise (God will provide for those who put him first). The verse is not promising wealth — it is promising that God's people don't need to worry about basic provision.
Matthew 6:33 is most often tattooed at a specific decision point: taking a lower-paying job that fits God's calling, leaving a career for ministry, committing to tithe, choosing family over advancement, simplifying life. The tattoo functions as a permanent reminder of the decision — "I made this choice, and I am living from it." It is one of the most explicitly counter-cultural Bible verses (in a culture that says "seek first your success," Jesus says "seek first the kingdom").
Common pairings: a crown (kingdom imagery), an arrow (direction of priorities), a date (the decision), or another priorities verse — especially Matthew 6:21 ("where your treasure is, there your heart will be"). Some Christians pair Matthew 6:33 with Mark 8:36 ("what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?") as a "two sides of the same decision" pairing.
Yes — "Seek first the kingdom" is the truncated, popular form of Matthew 6:33. The full verse adds "and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Some prefer the truncated form because it captures the command without the promise (focus on what you must do, not on what you will receive). Others prefer the full verse because the promise is part of the point.