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 alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. ​
2
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound 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 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 which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. ​

Righteousness in Prayer

5
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. ​
7
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. ​
8
Be not ye 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 which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ​
10
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11
Give us this day our daily bread. ​
12
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. ​
13
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. ​
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 appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ​
17
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18
That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Treasures in Heaven

19
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ​
20
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ​
21
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22
The light 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 that 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 the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. ​

Trusting God and Avoiding Anxiety

25
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought 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 meat, and the body than raiment? ​
26
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? ​
27
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30
Wherefore, if God 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
Therefore take no thought, 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 the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ​
34
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of 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

Options