Matthew6

Jesus instructs his followers on righteous living, emphasizing that acts of piety such as giving alms, praying, and fasting should be done in secret, not for human display, to receive reward from God. He provides the Lord's Prayer as a model for sincere communion and warns against accumulating earthly treasures. The chapter concludes with an exhortation to trust God for daily needs, rather than worrying, by seeking His kingdom first.
Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

Warnings Against Hypocrisy

1
Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. ​
2
When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. ​
3
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4
that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee. ​

Righteousness in Prayer

5
And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.
6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee. ​
7
And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. ​
8
Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

The Model Prayer (The Lord's Prayer)

9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ​
10
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
11
Give us this day our daily bread. ​
12
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ​
13
And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ​
14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ​
15
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Righteousness in Fasting

16
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. ​
17
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;
18
that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.

Treasures in Heaven

19
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: ​
20
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ​
21
for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.
22
The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. ​
23
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!
24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ​

Trusting God and Avoiding Anxiety

25
Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? ​
26
Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? ​
27
And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?
28
And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29
yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30
But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? ​
31
Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32
For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33
But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ​
34
Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Study Notes for Matthew 6

Verse 1

This verse introduces the overarching theme of the chapter: righteous deeds (alms, prayer, fasting) must be motivated by devotion to God, not by the desire for human approval. Seeking human praise is its own, immediate reward, precluding God's eternal reward.

Verse 2

Hypocrites (Gk. *hypokrites*) literally means 'stage actors.' Jesus uses this term for those whose religious performance is external and insincere. Sounding a trumpet is likely a metaphorical reference to drawing public attention to one's charity.

Verse 4

God, who sees the innermost intentions and actions done in secret, will openly reward the genuine devotion of His followers. This contrasts with the temporary, superficial reward of human praise.

Verse 6

The 'closet' or inner room emphasizes the importance of privacy and sincerity in communion with God. Jesus teaches that true intimacy requires moving beyond public performance.

Verse 7

Vain repetitions (Gk. *battalogeō*) refers to meaningless babbling or reliance on the quantity of words, a practice associated with pagan attempts to manipulate or coerce their deities. True prayer is based on relationship, not repetition.

Verse 9

Jesus presents this as the *manner* of prayer, providing a pattern that prioritizes God's glory and kingdom before petitioning for personal needs.

Verse 11

Daily bread (Gk. *epiousios*) is a unique word often interpreted as 'necessary for existence' or 'for the coming day.' It emphasizes dependence on God for immediate, ongoing provision.

Verse 12

Debts is synonymous with sins or trespasses, reflecting the Jewish prayer tradition. The structure links our spiritual need for forgiveness directly to our willingness to extend forgiveness to others.

Verse 13

The concluding doxology ('For thine is the kingdom...') is absent from the oldest manuscripts but reflects early liturgical usage, likely adopted from common Jewish benedictions.

Verse 14

Jesus emphasizes the conditional nature of forgiveness, immediately expanding upon verse 12. A refusal to forgive others indicates a heart that has not truly grasped the depth of God's grace.

Verse 16

Fasting was a traditional spiritual discipline, often done publicly. Jesus condemns the practice of exaggerating signs of distress (disfiguring the face) to broadcast one’s piety.

Verse 19

Jesus transitions from external practices to internal priorities. Material possessions are inherently insecure, symbolized by moth (destroying clothing) and rust (destroying metals).

Verse 20

Treasures in heaven refer to eternal rewards and spiritual investments made through righteous living and generosity, which are permanent and untouchable by earthly decay or theft.

Verse 22

The eye is used metaphorically as the lamp or window of the body, representing one’s inner disposition or focus. A 'single' (Gk. *haplous*) eye is healthy, clear, and undivided in its devotion.

Verse 24

Mammon is an Aramaic term personifying wealth or material possessions. Jesus asserts that wealth, if pursued as a primary goal, inevitably becomes a rival master to God, demanding total allegiance.

Verse 25

The KJV phrase 'take no thought' is better translated as 'do not be anxious' or 'do not worry.' Jesus is addressing destructive, consuming anxiety about basic physical needs, not responsible planning.

Verse 26

Jesus uses creation (the birds) as evidence of God's meticulous, active providence. If God sustains creatures of lesser value, He will certainly provide for His human children.

Verse 30

O ye of little faith (Gk. *oligopistos*) is a characteristic term used by Matthew to gently rebuke the disciples when they express doubt regarding God's power or provision.

Verse 33

This verse provides the central command and solution to anxiety: prioritize seeking God's active reign (*kingdom*) and living according to His moral standard (*righteousness*). When priorities are right, material needs will be supplied.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options