Matthew 6:18

Matthew 6:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Context of Matthew 6:18

16“Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 19“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.

Matthew 6:18 word by word

ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ. καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ ἀποδώσει σοιRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
• thou appearφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
• notμήmē · notG3361
• unto menὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• unto menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• to fastνηστεύωnēsteuō · to fastG3522
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• untoπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• secretκρυπτόςkruptos · hiddenG2927
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• which seethβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• shall rewardἀποδίδωμιapodidōmi · to payG591
• openlyφανερόςphaneros · clearG5318

Cross-references for Matthew 6:18

• 2 Corinthians 5:9Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.
• 2 Corinthians 10:18For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.
• Colossians 3:22Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but work wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.
• 1 Peter 2:13Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority
• Matthew 6:4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
• Romans 2:6He will repay each one according to his works:
• 1 Peter 1:7so that the proven character of your faith — more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Commentaries on Matthew 6:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Thy father which seeth in secret - Let us not be afraid that our hearts can be concealed from God; but let us fear lest he perceive them to be more desirous of the praise of men than they are of that glory which comes from Him. Openly - . These words are omitted by nine MSS. in uncial letters; and by more than one hundred others, by most of the versions, and by several of the primitive fathers. As it is supported by no adequate authority, Bengel…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-18Verses 16-18 Religious fasting is a duty required of the disciples of Christ, but it is not so much a duty itself, as a means to dispose us for other duties. Fasting is the humbling of the soul, Psa 35:13; that is the inside of the duty; let that, therefore, be thy principal care, and as to the outside of it, covet not to let it be seen. God sees in secret, and will reward openly.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. 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--The "openly" seems evidently a later addition to the text of this verse from Mt 6:4, 7, though of course the idea is implied.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 6:18

• Commandments
• Fasting
• God Continued...
• Motive
• Pharisees
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• Add
• Appear
• Closet
• Consider
• Corrupt
• Countenance
• Despise
• Fast
• Father
• Forgive

Commentaries on Matthew 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings