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

3But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. 6But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 7When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.

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 it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.
• Matthew 9:38Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
• Matthew 21:22And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive.”
• Psalms 5:2Pay attention to my cry for help, my king and my God, for I am praying to you!
• Psalms 55:17During the evening, morning, and noontime I will lament and moan, and he will hear me.
• Proverbs 15:8The Lord abhors the sacrifices of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
• Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby!
• Jeremiah 29:12When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers.
• Daniel 6:10When Daniel realized that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem. Three times daily he was kneeling and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously.
• Daniel 9:4I prayed to the lord my God, confessing in this way: “O Lord, great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant with those who love him and keep his commandments,
• Luke 18:1Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart.
• John 16:24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive it, so that your joy may be complete.
• Ephesians 6:18With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.
• Colossians 4:2Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17constantly pray,
• James 5:15And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he 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