“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrasing "hate the one and love the other" or "hold to the one and despise the other" reveals that this isn't just about divided attention, but a deep, internal conflict. Jesus is showing us that serving two masters creates an essential opposition within ourselves, forcing a fundamental choice between valuing one and devaluing the other.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is shifting from the topic of storing up treasures in heaven to the impossibility of serving two masters. Immediately following his teaching on generosity and prayer, he uses a strong analogy to emphasize that a disciple's heart and allegiance must be fully committed to God alone. He concludes by directly naming "money" as the competing master, illustrating the all-consuming nature of wealth that distracts from spiritual devotion.
Ever feel like you're being pulled in two different directions? Jesus gets it. He highlights a fundamental truth about human nature: our affections can't be split down the middle.
Jesus uses a powerful analogy: you can't serve two masters. Think about it – a slave owed absolute allegiance to one owner. Trying to serve two would create impossible conflicts.
Jesus explains this isn't just about obedience, but about our inner world:
Our hearts are wired for singular devotion. When we try to give our primary allegiance to both God and money, something has to give. One will inevitably be elevated while the other is sidelined, even if we try to pretend otherwise.
Jesus doesn't just say 'money.' He uses a specific word: 'Mammon.' What does it really mean, and why is it so significant?
The word 'Mammon' (from Syriac) essentially means wealth, riches, or possessions. But Jesus elevates it beyond mere currency. He personifies it, presenting it as a rival 'master' to God.
Think of Mammon as:
Ask a follow-up
It's not about possessing wealth that's the problem; it's about serving it. When our pursuit of money, our anxiety about it, or our trust in it overshadows our commitment to God, we've crossed a line. Mammon demands an allegiance that belongs exclusively to the Creator.
Understand the original words
douleuein · Greek Verb
The Greek word 'douleuo' denotes the status of a bondservant who owes total submission and exclusive allegiance to a master.
kyrios · Greek Noun
A term for an owner or lord who has absolute authority over his subjects or servants. In this context, it highlights the impossibility of serving two competing authorities.
mamōna · Greek Noun
A transliteration of the Aramaic term 'mammon,' referring to wealth, possessions, or money personified as a false god or rival power that demands devotion.
This teaching from Jesus cuts to the core of human desire. The word 'mammon' itself, evolving from a general term for wealth to a near-personification of it, highlights how material riches had become a powerful, almost worshipful, focus for many. Jesus is drawing a stark line: you can't give ultimate allegiance to both the Creator and His creation, especially when that creation (wealth) so easily becomes an idol.
c. 1500 BC - 500 BC
Ancient Near East Monetary Systems Develop
During this long period, various forms of currency and wealth management systems, including precious metals and early forms of coinage, began to develop across the Ancient Near East. This laid the groundwork for the concept of 'money' as a significant, potentially controlling, entity.
c. 5th Century BC - 1st Century AD
The Word 'Mammon' Emerges
The Aramaic word 'mammona' (and its derivatives) began to be used to broadly mean wealth, riches, or possessions. While not definitively a worshipped idol, it represented the power and allure of material wealth in societies where it played an increasing role.
c. 25 BC - 5 BC
Herod the Great's Reign
The reign of Herod the Great in Judea was marked by significant building projects, heavy taxation, and a complex economic and political landscape. This context would have made the pursuit and management of wealth a constant concern for many.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
During his public ministry in Galilee, Jesus taught extensively on the Kingdom of God, often contrasting its values with earthly concerns. This period included teachings on wealth, possessions, and the dangers of avarice.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Teaches on Wealth and Service
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus directly addressed the impossibility of serving both God and material wealth ('mammon'). This teaching challenged His listeners to prioritize their ultimate allegiance.
c. AD 50-60
Paul's Epistles Written
Apostle Paul's letters, such as those to the Corinthians and Colossians, continued to explore themes of spiritual devotion versus worldly attachments, sometimes condemning covetousness as a form of idolatry.
This passage is a direct parallel, spoken by Jesus in a different context, reinforcing the core idea that divided loyalties are impossible and that serving both God and wealth leads to neglecting one for the other.
Joshua 24:14-15Joshua challenges the Israelites to 'choose this day whom you will serve,' directly mirroring Jesus' point that a decision must be made between competing allegiances, in this case, the gods of their ancestors versus the Lord.
1 Samuel 12:20-21Samuel warns the Israelites against turning after idols and riches, stating that they cannot serve the Lord and 'worthless things,' highlighting the incompatibility of true devotion to God with devotion to material possessions.
Colossians 3:5This verse equates covetousness, which is a form of serving money, with idolatry, directly linking the pursuit of wealth to forsaking God and reinforcing the 'two masters' concept.
barnesMatthew 6:24: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
No man can serve two masters ... - Christ proceeds to illustrate the necessity of laying up treasures in heaven from a well-known fact, that a servant cannot serve two masters at the same time. His affections and obedience would be divided, and he would fail altogether in his duty to one or the other. One he wo…
vincentMatthew 6:24: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
The other (ἕτερον)Implying distinction in quality rather than numerical distinction (ἄλλος). For example, "whoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other (τὴν ἄλλην); i.e., the other one of the two (Matthew 5:39). At Pentecost, the disciples began to speak with other (ἑτέραις) tongues;…
The phrasing "hate the one and love the other" or "hold to the one and despise the other" reveals that this isn't just about divided attention, but a deep, internal conflict. Jesus is showing us that serving two masters creates an essential opposition within ourselves, forcing a fundamental choice between valuing one and devaluing the other.
Jesus is shifting from the topic of storing up treasures in heaven to the impossibility of serving two masters. Immediately following his teaching on generosity and prayer, he uses a strong analogy to emphasize that a disciple's heart and allegiance must be fully committed to God alone. He concludes by directly naming "money" as the competing master, illustrating the all-consuming nature of wealth that distracts from spiritual devotion.
Jesus is shifting from the topic of storing up treasures in heaven to the impossibility of serving two masters. Immediately following his teaching on generosity and prayer, he uses a strong analogy to emphasize that a disciple's heart and allegiance must be fully committed to God alone. He concludes by directly naming "money" as the competing master, illustrating the all-consuming nature of wealth that distracts from spiritual devotion.
"“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." — The phrasing "hate the one and love the other" or "hold to the one and despise the other" reveals that this isn't just about divided attention, but a deep, internal conflict. Jesus is showing us that…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026