Matthew 6

King James Version

Full text for Matthew Chapter 6

1¶ ‹Take 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.›

2‹Therefore 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.›

3‹But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:›

4‹That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.›

5¶ ‹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.›

6‹But 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.›

7‹But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.›

8‹Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.›

9¶ ‹After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.›

10‹Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.›

11‹Give us this day our daily bread.›

12‹And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.›

13‹And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.›

14‹For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:›

15‹But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.›

16¶ ‹Moreover 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.›

17‹But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;›

18‹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.›

19¶ ‹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:›

20‹But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:›

21‹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.›

22‹The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.›

23‹But 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!›

24‹No 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.›

25¶ ‹Therefore 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?›

26‹Behold 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?›

27‹Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?›

28‹And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:›

29‹And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.›

30‹Wherefore, 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?›

31‹Therefore 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.›

33‹But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.›

34‹Take 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.›

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus instructs his followers on righteous living, emphasizing that acts of piety such as giving alms, praying, and fasting should be done in secret, not for human display, to receive reward from God. He provides the Lord's Prayer as a model for sincere communion and warns against accumulating earthly treasures. The chapter concludes with an exhortation to trust God for daily needs, rather than worrying, by seeking His kingdom first.

Medium Summary

Matthew chapter six opens with Jesus cautioning against performing religious duties—alms, prayer, and fasting—with the motive of being seen by men, declaring that such hypocritical acts receive only an earthly reward. Instead, these spiritual disciplines are to be practiced in secret, assuring that the heavenly Father, who sees in secret, will reward openly. Jesus then provides a foundational model for prayer, known as the Lord's Prayer, which includes petitions for God's glory, His kingdom, daily sustenance, and forgiveness, notably linking divine forgiveness to human forgiveness. The discourse shifts to material possessions, advising against laying up perishable treasures on earth and instead urging the accumulation of imperishable heavenly treasures, as one's heart follows their treasure. The chapter culminates in a powerful teaching against anxiety concerning life's necessities, encouraging disciples to observe God's provision for nature and to prioritize seeking His kingdom and righteousness, trusting that all necessary things will be added unto them.

Long Summary

Matthew chapter six presents a comprehensive teaching from Jesus on the true nature of righteousness, contrasting genuine devotion with outward, hypocritical displays. The chapter commences with an instruction to perform alms-giving discreetly, not publicly to garner human praise, promising that secret acts of charity will be openly rewarded by the heavenly Father. This principle is extended to prayer, where disciples are admonished not to emulate hypocrites who pray conspicuously in public, but rather to retreat to a private place for communion with God, avoiding vain repetitions, as God already knows their needs. Following this, Jesus provides the foundational model for prayer, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer, which encompasses adoration of God, petition for His kingdom and will to be done, requests for daily sustenance, and a plea for forgiveness contingent upon one's own forgiveness of others, concluding with a request for deliverance from evil. The importance of forgiving others is explicitly reiterated as a condition for receiving divine forgiveness. The chapter then addresses fasting, again warning against disfiguring one's face to appear sorrowful to men, but rather to maintain a normal appearance, fasting in secret for God's acknowledgement. Transitioning from outward acts, Jesus instructs against laying up perishable earthly treasures, advocating instead for the accumulation of imperishable heavenly treasures, for one's heart will inevitably follow their treasure. He introduces the metaphor of the "single" eye bringing light to the body, contrasting it with an "evil" eye that brings darkness. A stark declaration follows that no one can serve two masters, specifically God and mammon. The discourse culminates in a profound teaching against anxiety and worry over life's necessities—food, drink, and clothing. Jesus points to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as examples of God's provision, arguing that if God cares for these, He will certainly care for His human children, who are of much greater value. He challenges the futility of worry and exhorts disciples to prioritize seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness, promising that all necessary material things will be added unto them, concluding with an admonition to take no thought for the morrow.

Core Concepts

  • Secret DevotionJesus teaches that acts of piety, such as giving alms, praying, and fasting, should be performed privately without seeking human recognition. This ensures that the motivation is pure and the reward comes from God, who sees in secret.
  • HypocrisyThe chapter repeatedly condemns the practice of performing religious duties outwardly for the purpose of being seen and praised by men. Such actions are labeled hypocritical, and Jesus states that those who practice them have already received their full reward from men.
  • The Lord's PrayerJesus provides a model prayer for his disciples, teaching them to hallow God's name, seek His kingdom and will, ask for daily provisions, and request forgiveness while also forgiving others. This prayer emphasizes a sincere and focused communion with God.
  • Heavenly TreasuresDisciples are instructed to lay up imperishable treasures in heaven rather than accumulating perishable earthly wealth. This teaching highlights that one's heart will ultimately reside where their most valued possessions are stored.
  • Serving Two MastersJesus declares that it is impossible for an individual to serve both God and mammon (material wealth) simultaneously. This emphasizes the necessity of exclusive allegiance and devotion to God.
  • Trust in Divine ProvisionThe chapter strongly admonishes against anxiety and worry concerning daily necessities like food, drink, and clothing. Jesus illustrates God's care through examples from nature, encouraging followers to trust in God's provision and to prioritize seeking His kingdom and righteousness.
  • Forgiveness as a PrerequisiteA crucial teaching is that receiving forgiveness from God for one's own trespasses is directly contingent upon one's willingness to forgive others. This underscores the reciprocal nature of divine and human forgiveness.