Matthew 6:18 BSB — MannaFest

Matthew 6:18

so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.

KJV

That 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.

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Commentary

2 voices

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on Matthew (1274)

That thou appear not to men to fast. This is the reason. It should be understood of individual fasting, not of communal fasting. But to thy Father who is in secret, of eternity: "It is hidden from the eyes" (Job 28:21); or "in the secret" …

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

Jerome

Commentary on Matthew (420)

(Verse 17 and following) But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting to men, but to your Father who is in secret: and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. He is speaking according to the custom of the province of Palestine, where they usually anoint their heads on festive days. Therefore, he commanded us to show ourselves joyful and festive when we fast.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Thy father which seeth in secret - Let us not be afraid that our hearts can be concealed from God; but let us fear lest he perceive them to be more desirous of the praise of men than they are of that glory which comes from Him. Openly - Εν τω φανερω. These words are omitted by nine MSS. in uncial letters; and by more than one hundred others, by most of the versions, and by several of the primitive fathers.

J.C. Ryle

1816–1900

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew (1856)

There are three subjects brought before us in this part of our Lord’s sermon on the mount. These three are fasting, worldliness, and singleness of purpose in religion. Fasting, or occasional abstinence from food in order to bring the body into subjection to the spirit, is a practice frequently mentioned in the Bible, and generally in connection with prayer. David fasted when his child was sick; Daniel fasted when he sought special light from God; Paul and Barnabas fasted when they appointed elders; Esther fasted before going in to Ahasuerus.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

25 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ὅπως	hopōs	so that	G3704 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
φανῇς	phanēas	may you appear	G5316 →
τοῖς	tois	<the>	G3588 →
ἀνθρώποις	anthrōpois	to men	G444 →
νηστεύων	nēsteuōn	[as] fasting	G3522 →
ἀλλὰ	alla	but	G235 →
τῷ	tō	<the>	G3588 →
πατρί	patri	to Father	G3962 →
σου	sou	of you	G4771 →
τῷ	tō	the [One]	G3588 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
τῷ	tō	<the>	G3588 →
κρυφαίῳ.	kruphaiō	secret.
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ὁ	ho	the	G3588 →
πατήρ	patēr	Father	G3962 →
σου	sou	of you	G4771 →
ὁ	ho	the [One]	G3588 →
βλέπων	blepōn	seeing	G991 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
τῷ	tō	<the>	G3588 →
κρυφαίῳ	kruphaiō	secret
ἀποδώσει	apodōsei	will reward	G591 →
σοι	soi	you	G4771 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
leads to
- 2 Kings 4:33
  So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.
- Matthew 14:23
  After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,
- Isaiah 65:24
  Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Psalms 34:15
  The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- Acts 9:40
  Then Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down and prayed, and turning toward her body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up.
Through
1 Peter 2:13
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
leads to
- Titus 3:1
  Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,
- Romans 13:1–7
  Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.
- 1 Timothy 2:1–2
  First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—