Matthew 6:5

Matthew 6:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Context of Matthew 6:5

3When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4Give your contributions privately. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you. “When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. 6When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you. 7“When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot.

Matthew 6:5 word by word

Καὶ ὅταν προσεύχησθε, οὐκ ἔσεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί, ὅτι φιλοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ ἐν ταῖς γωνίαις τῶν πλατειῶν ἑστῶτες προσεύχεσθαι ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• thou prayestπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
• thou shaltεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• the hypocritesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the hypocritesὑποκριτήςhupokritēs · hypocriteG5273
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• they loveφιλέωphileō · to loveG5368
• standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the synagoguesσυναγωγήsunagōgē · synagogueG4864
• the cornersγωνίαgōnia · cornerG1137
• of the streetsπλατεῖαplateia · wide street/roadG4113
• thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• they may be seenφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
• of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• They haveἀπέχωapechō · to have in fullG568
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408

Cross-references for Matthew 6:5

• Matthew 7:7“Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.
• Matthew 9:38So ask the Lord who gives this harvest to send workers to harvest his crops.”
• Matthew 21:22Have faith that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
• Psalms 5:2Pay attention to my cry for help, my king and my God, because I pray only to you.
• Psalms 55:17Morning, noon, and night I complain and groan, and he listens to my voice.
• Proverbs 15:8A sacrifice brought by wicked people is disgusting to the Lord, but the prayers of decent people please him.
• Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.
• Jeremiah 29:12Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
• Daniel 6:10When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. An upper room in his house had windows that opened in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed to his God. He had always praised God this way.
• Daniel 9:4I prayed to the Lord my God. I confessed and said, “Lord, you are great and deserve respect as the only God. You keep your promise and show mercy to those who love you and obey your commandments.
• Luke 18:1Jesus used this illustration with his disciples to show them that they need to pray all the time and never give up.
• John 16:24So far you haven’t asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive so that you can be completely happy.
• Ephesians 6:18Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God’s people.
• Colossians 4:2Keep praying. Pay attention when you offer prayers of thanksgiving.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17Never stop praying.
• James 5:15(Prayers offered in faith will save those who are sick, and the Lord will cure them.) If you have sinned, you will be forgiven.

Commentaries on Matthew 6:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5And when thou prayest - . , prayer, is compounded of with, and a vow, because to pray right, a man binds himself to God, as by a vow, to live to his glory, if he will grant him his grace, etc. signifies to pour out prayers or vows, from well, and , I pour out; probably alluding to the offerings or libations which were poured out before, or on the altar. A proper idea of prayer is, a pouring out of the soul unto God, as a free-will offering, solemnly and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And when thou prayest … - Hypocrites manifested the same spirit about prayer as almsgiving; it was done in public places. The word “synagogues,” here, clearly means, not the place of worship of that name, but places where many were accustomed to assemble - near the markets or courts, where they could be seen of many. Our Lord evidently could not mean to condemn prayers in the synagogues. It might be said that he condemned ostentatious prayer there, while…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-8Verses 5-8 It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray. You may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that does not pray. If prayerless, then graceless. The Scribes and Pharisees were guilty of two great faults in prayer, vain-glory and vain repetitions. "Verily they have their reward;" if in so great a matter as is between us and God, when we are at prayer, we can look to so poor a thing as the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5When you pray: Jews prayed regularly at 9 am and 3 pm (see Acts 3:1). They often gathered for public prayer. Hypocrites purposely chose public places at these times so everyone would notice them.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. And when thou prayest, thou shalt--or, preferably, "when ye pray ye shall." not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets--(See on Mt 6:2). that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have, &c.--The standing posture in prayer was the ancient practice, alike in the Jewish and in the early Christian Church. But of course this conspicuous posture opened the way for the…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 6:5

• Hypocrisy
• Motive
• Pharisees
• Prayer
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• Add
• Appear
• Closet
• Consider
• Corner
• Corrupt
• Countenance
• Despise
• Fast
• 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