Quaerite primum regnum Dei
“Seek first the kingdom of God.”
Vulgate Bible, Matthew 6:33
What does “Quaerite primum regnum Dei” mean?
Quaerite primum regnum Dei translates as “Seek first the kingdom of God.”
Put faith and what matters most first; the rest will follow.
“Quaerite primum regnum Dei” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Quaerite | seek! | a command (imperative, plural) of quaero, “to seek”; addressed to more than one person. To one person: quaere |
| primum | first | adverb, “first, in the first place”; the neuter accusative of primus, used as an adverb |
| regnum | kingdom | accusative singular neuter of regnum, “kingdom”; direct object of quaerite |
| Dei | of God | genitive singular of Deus, “God”; shows possession: “of God” |
How to pronounce “Quaerite primum regnum Dei”
In Classical Latin the ae of quaerite sounds like “eye” and the gn of regnum is g plus n. In Church Latin ae sounds like “eh” and gn sounds like “ny”. The stress falls on the first syllable of quaerite, on the first of primum and regnum, and on the first of Dei in both systems.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “Seek first the kingdom of God”. It is the Latin of Matthew 6:33, from the Sermon on the Mount, in the Vulgate, the Latin Bible translated largely by Jerome in the late fourth century.
In the Gospel the saying comes after Jesus tells his listeners not to worry about food and clothing. They are to put the kingdom of God first, and the other things they need will be given to them as well.
The phrase later became a motto. It is the motto of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and it is also a common choice for churches, schools and personal mottoes.
How to use “Quaerite primum regnum Dei”
It suits a church or school motto, a card for a baptism, confirmation or new beginning, or a tattoo or desk motto for someone who wants to keep faith at the centre of their life. It also works as a short caption on a print or in a devotional journal.
- Latin
- Quaerite primum regnum Dei
- English
- Seek first the kingdom of God.
- Source
- Vulgate Bible, Matthew 6:33
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- Quaerite is plural. To tell one person to seek, the form is quaere.
- Regnum Dei is “kingdom of God” (with Dei in the genitive). Do not change Dei to Deus or Deum, which would break the grammar.
- Some versions of the verse in English and Latin continue “and all these things will be added to you”. The short motto leaves that part out.
- Do not read primum as “the first”. Here it is an adverb meaning “first” (before anything else).
Questions about “Quaerite primum regnum Dei”
What does “Quaerite primum regnum Dei” mean literally?
“Seek first the kingdom of God.” Quaerite is a plural command, primum means “first”, and regnum Dei is “the kingdom of God”.
Where does “Quaerite primum regnum Dei” come from?
It comes from Matthew 6:33 in the Sermon on the Mount, in the Latin Vulgate Bible. The Vulgate was translated mainly by Jerome in the late fourth century.
Is “Quaerite primum regnum Dei” a motto?
Yes. It is the official motto of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
How do you pronounce “Quaerite primum regnum Dei”?
In Classical Latin: KWY-ri-teh PREE-moom REG-noom DEH-ee. In Church Latin: KWEH-ri-teh PREE-moom REN-yoom DEH-ee.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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