New Living Translation
Matthew 6:5
5“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.
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 give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “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. 6But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. 7“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
Read all of Matthew 6Matthew 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“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
- Matthew 9:38So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
- Matthew 21:22You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
- Psalms 5:2Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you.
- Psalms 55:17Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.
- Proverbs 15:8The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the prayers of the upright.
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
- Jeremiah 29:12In those days when you pray, I will listen.
- Daniel 6:10But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
- Daniel 9:4I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.
- Luke 18:1One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
- John 16:24You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
- Ephesians 6:18Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
- Colossians 4:2Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:17Never stop praying.
- James 5:15Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, 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
In the dictionaries
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
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