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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

Context of Matthew 6:5

3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. “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. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

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 to you.
• Matthew 9:38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
• Matthew 21:22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
• Psalms 5:2Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
• Psalms 55:17Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
• Proverbs 15:8The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
• Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
• Jeremiah 29:12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
• Daniel 6:10Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
• Daniel 9:4I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
• Luke 18:1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
• John 16:24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
• Ephesians 6:18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
• Colossians 4:2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17pray continually,
• James 5:15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they 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