Matthew 6:16

Matthew 6:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Context of Matthew 6:16

14“For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins. “When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward. 17When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:16 word by word

Ὅταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποί· ἀφανίζουσιν γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες. ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Moreoverδέde · thenG1161
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• ye fastνηστεύωnēsteuō · to fastG3522
• beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• notμήmē · notG3361
• asὥσπερhōsper · just asG5618
• the hypocritesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the hypocritesὑποκριτήςhupokritēs · hypocriteG5273
• of a sad countenanceσκυθρωπόςskuthrōpos · sadG4659
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• they disfigureἀφανίζωaphanizō · to destroyG853
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• facesπρόσωπονprosōpon · faceG4383
• thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
• they may appearφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
• unto menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• ·ὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• They haveἀπέχωapechō · to have in fullG568
• rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408

Cross-references for Matthew 6:16

• Matthew 9:14Then John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”
• 2 Samuel 12:16Then David prayed to God for the child and fasted. He would even go and spend the night lying on the ground.
• Nehemiah 1:4When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
• Esther 4:16“Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish!”
• Psalms 35:13When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!)
• Psalms 69:10I weep and refrain from eating food, which causes others to insult me.
• Psalms 109:24I am so starved my knees shake; I have turned into skin and bones.
• Daniel 9:3So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
• Luke 2:37She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
• Acts 10:30Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock in the afternoon, I was praying in my house, and suddenly a man in shining clothing stood before me
• Acts 13:2While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
• Acts 14:23When they had appointed elders for them in the various churches, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the protection of the Lord in whom they had believed.
• 1 Corinthians 7:5Do not deprive each other, except by mutual agreement for a specified time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
• 2 Corinthians 6:5in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in troubles, in sleepless nights, in hunger,
• 2 Corinthians 11:27in hard work and toil, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, many times without food, in cold and without enough clothing.
• Matthew 6:2Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward.

Commentaries on Matthew 6:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16When ye fast - A fast is termed by the Greeks Ϛ, from not, and to eat; hence fast means, a total abstinence from food for a certain time. Abstaining from flesh, and living on fish, vegetables, etc., is no fast, or may be rather considered a burlesque on fasting. Many pretend to take the true definition of a fast from Isaiah 58:3, and say that it means a fast from sin. This is a mistake; there is no such term in the Bible as fasting from sin; the very idea…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Moreover, when ye fast - The word “fast” literally signifies to abstain from food and drink, whether from necessity or as a religious observance. It is, however, commonly applied in the Bible to the latter. It is, then, an expression of grief or sorrow. Such is the constitution of the body, that in a time of grief or sorrow we are not disposed to eat; or, we have no appetite. The grief of the “soul” is so absorbing as to destroy the natural appetites of…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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16People often connect prayer and fasting (Leviticus 23:27–32; Nehemiah 9:1–2; Zechariah 7:3–5; 8:19; Luke 18:12). Before the time of Jesus, some Israelites misused this practice (Isaiah 58:3–12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Moreover, when ye fast--referring, probably, to private and voluntary fasting, which was to be regulated by each individual for himself; though in spirit it would apply to any fast. be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces--literally, "make unseen"; very well rendered "disfigure." They went about with a slovenly appearance, and ashes sprinkled on their head. that they may appear unto men to fast--It was not the…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 6:16

• Commandments
• Face
• Fasting
• Hypocrisy
• Motive
• Pharisees
• Religion

In the dictionaries

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

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