Matthew 6

Matthew · Chapter 6

Matthew 6:1

1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.5And 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.6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.11Give us this day our daily bread.12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.16Moreover 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.17But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;18That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.22The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.23But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
do bewareΠροσέχετεProsecheteG4337
to watch out

προσέχω (prosechō) προσ-έχω [in LXX for קָשַׁב hi., שָׁמַר ni., etc. ;] 1. to turn to, bring to (frequently ναῦν, expressed or understood, to bring to port, land; Hdt., al.). 2. τ. νοῦν, before dative, to turn one's mind to, attend to; in Xen. and later writers with νοῦν omitted (El., § 53, 1; 81, 1): Act.8:6 16:14, Heb.2:1, 2Pe.1:19; in sense of caring or providing for, Act.20:28; π. ἑαυτῷ, to give heed to oneself (M, Pr., 157; cf. Gen.24:6, Exo.10:28, al.): Luk.17:3 21:34, Act.5:35; id. before ἀπό (M, Pr., 102; B1., § 34, 11; 40, 3; see: βλέπω), Luk.12:1; (without dative) Mat.7:15 10:17 16:6, 11-12, Luk.20: …

righteousnessδικαιοσύνηνdikaiosunēnG1343
righteousness

δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunē) δικαιοσύνη, -ης, ἡ (δίκαιος), [in LXX chiefly for צֶדֶק, and cognates, Gen.15:6, al., rarely for חֶסֶד, Gen.19:19 ;] the character of ὁ δίκαιος (which see) 1. in broad sense, righteousness, conformity to the Divine will in purpose, thought and action: Mat.5:6, Jhn.16:8, Act.13:10, Rom.4:3; λόγος δικαιοσύνης, teaching of r., Heb.5:13; βασιλεὺς δ. (cf. FlJ, BJ, vi, 10, β. δίκαιος), Heb.7:2; ὅπλα δ., Rom.6:13; ὁδὸς δ., Mat.21:32; θώραξ τῆς δ., Eph.6:14; διὰκονοι δ., 2Co.11:15; ὁσιότης καὶ δ., Luk.1:75, cf. Eph.4:24; ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δ., Eph.5:9; δ. κ. εἰρήνη κ. χαρά, Rom.14:17; δ. κ. ἁγιασμός, 1Co …

of youὑμῶνhumōnG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

notμὴmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

[you are] to doποιεῖνpoieinG4160G
to do/make: do

ποιέω (poieō) ποιέω, -ῶ, [in LXX for a great variety of words, but chiefly for עשׂה ;] 1. to make, produce, create, cause: with accusative of thing(s), Mat.17:4, Mrk.9:5, Jhn.9:11, Act.9:39, Rom.9:20, al.; of God as Creator (with accusative of person(s) also), Mat.19:4, Mrk.10:6, Luk.11:40, Act.4:24, Heb.1:2, al.; like Heb. עשׂה, absol. = ἐργάζομαι, to work, Mat.20:12 (cf. Rut.2:19; so AV, but see infr.), Rev.13:5, R, mg. (but see infr.); σκάνδαλα, Rom.16:17; εἰρεήνην, Eph.2:15, Jas.3:18; ἐπίστασιν, Act.24:12; συστροφήν, Act.23:12; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Luk.1:68, Act.15:3; w …

beforeἔμπροσθενemprosthenG1715
before

ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen) ἔμ-προσθεν adv. of place (in cl. also of time), [in LXX chiefly for עֳנִי ;] 1. adverbially, before, in front: Luk.19:28; εἰς τὸ ἔ., Luk.19:4; opposite to ὄπισθεν, Rev.4:6; opposite to τὰ ὀπίσω, τὰ ἔ., Php.3:13. 2. As prep., before; (a) in front of: Mat.5:24 6:2 7:6 11:10 27:29, Luk.5:19 7:27 14:2, Jhn.3:28 10:4, Rev.19:10 22:8; …

menἀνθρώπωνanthrōpōnG0444
a human

ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ …

in orderπρὸςprosG4314
to/with

πρός (pros) πρός, prep. with genitive, dative, accusative I. I. C. genitive, of motion from a place, from the side of, hence metaphorically, in the interests of, Act.27:34 (cf. Page, in l.). II. II. C. dative, of local proximity, hard by, near, at: Mrk.5:11, Luk.19:37, Jhn.18:16 20:11, 12 Rev.1:13. III. C. accusative, of motion or direction towards a place or object, to, towards. 1. Of place, …

to be seenθεαθῆναιtheathēnaiG2300
to look at

θεάομαι (theaomai) θεάομαι, -ῶμαι [in LXX; 2Ch.22:6 (רָאָה), Tob.2:2 13:6, 14, Jdth.15:8, 2Ma.2:4 2Mac 3:36, 3Ma.5:47 * ;] to behold, look upon, contemplate, view (in early writers with a sense of wondering), in NT apparently always in literal, physical sense of "careful and deliberate vision which interprets . . . its object": with accusative of thing(s), Mat.11:7, Luk.7:24 23:55, Jhn.1:14, 32 4:35 11:45, Act.22:9, 1Jn.1:1; with accusative of person(s), Mat.22:11, Act.21:27, Rom.15:24, 1Jn.4:12; with ptcp., Mrk.16:14, Luk.5:27, Jhn.1:38, Act.1:11; before ὅτι, Jhn.6:5, 1Jn.4:14; pass., Mat.6:1 23:5, Mrk.16:11. …

by them;αὐτοῖς·autoisG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

lestεἰeiG1487L
if

εἰ (ei) εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; (a) pres.: before indic, pres., Mat.11:14, Rom.8:25, al.; before imperat., Mrk.4:23 9:22, Jhn.15:18, 1Co.7:9, al.; before fut. indic., Luk.16:31, Rom.8:11, al.; before pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mat.12:26, Rom.4:14, al.; similarly, before impf., Luk.17:6, Jhn.8:39; before quæst., Mat.6:23, Jhn.5:47 7:23 8:46, 1Pe.2:20; (b) fut.: Mat.26:33, 1Pe.2:20; (with) pf.: Jhn.11:12, Rom.6:5, al.; …

thenδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

exceptμήmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

indeedγε,geG1065
indeed

γέ (ge) γε, enclitic postpositive particle, rarer in κοινή than in cl., giving special prominence to the word to which it is attached, distinguishing it as the least or the most important (Thayer, see word), indeed, at least, even (but not always translatable into English); 1. used alone: Luk.11:8 18:5 Rom.8:32. …

rewardμισθὸνmisthonG3408
wage

μισθός (misthos) μισθός, -οῦ, ὁ [in LXX chiefly for שָׂכָר ;] 1. prop., wages, hire: Mat.20:8, Luk.10:7, Rom.4:4, 1Ti.5:18, Jas.5:4, Ju 11; μ. ἀδικίας, Act.1:18, 2Pe.2:13 (but see Mayor and ICC, in l), 2Pe.2:15. 2. Generally, reward: Jhn.4:36, 1Co.9:18; esp. of divine rewards, Mat.5:12 6:1-2, 5 6:16 10:41-42 Mrk.9:41, Luk.6:23, 35, 1Co.3:8 3:14, 2Jn.8, Rev.11:18 22:12; ἔχειν μ., Mat.5:46, 1Co.9:17.† (AS)

notοὐκoukG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

have youἔχετεecheteG2192
to have/be

ἔχω (echō) ἔχω, [in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), יֵשׁ,בַּעַל, etc., 59 words in all ;] (on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, see M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183), to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions. I. Trans.; 1. 1. to have, hold, hold fast, etc.; (a) to hold, as, in the hand: Rev.5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Rev.1:16 10:2, al.; (b) of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mat.3:4 22:12, al.; so frequently present ptcp. (LS, see word, A, I, 6; Bl., 74, 2), Mrk.11:13, Jhn.18:10, Rev.9:17, al.; (with) of a woman, ἐν γαστρὶ ἔ, to be with child: Mrk.13:17, Rom.9:10; …

withπαρὰparaG3844
from/with/beside

παρά (para) παρά, prep. with genitive, dative, accusative, with radical sense, beside. I. C. genitive of person(s), from the side of, from beside, from, indicating source or origin, [in LXX for מֵאֵצֶל ,מִיַד ,מִלִּפְנֵי ;] after verbs of motion, Mrk.14:43, Luk.8:49, Jhn.15:26, al.; after verbs of seeking, receiving, hearing, etc., Mrk.8:11 12:2, Jhn.4:9, 52 10:18, Php.4:18, 2Ti.1:18, Jas.1:7, al.; after passive verbs, of the agent (like ὑπό), Mat.21:42, Mrk.12:11, Luk.1:37; absol., οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, his family, his kinsfolk, Mrk.3:21 (cf. M, Pr., 106f.; Field, Notes, 25f.; Swete, in l.); τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς (αὐ …

FatherπατρὶpatriG3962
father

πατήρ (patēr) πατήρ, πατρός, -τρί, τέρα, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for אָב ;] a father; 1. prop., (a) of the male parent: Mat.2:22, Luk.1:17, Jhn.4:53; anarth., Heb.12:7 (M, Pr., 82 f.); pl., of both parents (cl.), Heb.11:23; οἱ π. τ. σαρκός, Heb.12:9; (b) of a forefather or ancestor (in cl. usually in pl.; Hom., al.): Mat.3:9, Luk.1:73, Jhn.8:39, al.; pl., Mat.23:30, 32 Luk.6:23, 26 Jhn.4:20, 1Co.10:1, al. 2. Metaphorical, (a) of an author, originator, or archetype (= αἴτιος, ἀρχηγός, etc.; Pind., Plat., al.): Jhn.8:41-44, Rom.4:11, 12 16. …

of youὑμῶνhumōnG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

heavens.οὐρανοῖς.¶ouranoisG3772
heaven

οὐρανός (ouranos) οὐρανός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for שָׁמַיִם (hence, often pl., οἱ οὐ., see infr.) ;] heaven; 1. of the vault or firmament of heaven, the sky and the aerial regions above the earth: opposite to ἡ γῆ, Heb.1:10, 2Pe.3:5, 10; ὁ οὐ. καὶ ἡ γῆ, i.e. the world, the universe, Mat.5:18, Mrk.13:31, Luk.10:21, Act.4:24, Rev.10:6, al.; ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων οὐ. ἕως ἄ. αὐτῶν (on the absence of art. aft. prep., see Bl, §46, 5), Mat.24:31; ὑπὸ τὸν οὐ., Act.2:5, Col.1:23; ὑψωθῆναι ἕως τοῦ οὐ., figuratively, Mat.11:23, Luk.10:15; σημεῖον ἐκ τοῦ οὐ., Mat.16:1, Mrk.8:11, al.; αἱ νεφέλαι, Mat.24:30, al.; τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ ο …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.