Matthew 6 5

Matthew 6:5 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.

Matthew 6:5 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.

Matthew 6:5 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.

Matthew 6:5 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.

Matthew 6:5 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.

Matthew 6 verses

Matthew 6 5 Meaning

Matthew 6:5 warns against praying publicly with the primary motive of being seen and praised by people, rather than sincerely seeking God. It highlights that such outward displays, driven by hypocrisy, have already received their full and only desired reward: human affirmation, which leaves no reward from God. This instruction emphasizes the internal posture of the heart in worship and private devotion to God.

Matthew 6 5 Context

Matthew 6:5 is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, specifically within a section (Matthew 6:1-18) that addresses "righteousness" in three core Jewish practices: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Jesus is not condemning the acts themselves, but the motive behind them. He contrasts the superficial piety of those who seek human applause with the sincere, inward devotion acceptable to God. This verse immediately follows His teaching on almsgiving (Mt 6:1-4), where the same principle of discreet devotion leading to God's reward is taught. The overarching theme is that genuine spirituality is focused on God's approval, not human recognition. The historical context reveals that public prayer was a common practice, and some individuals, particularly those criticized as hypocrites, leveraged these opportunities to display their piety, believing that the length or public nature of their prayers made them more righteous or seen as such by the community.

Matthew 6 5 Word analysis

• And when you pray: The phrase indicates a presumed and expected action. Prayer (proseuchē, Gk.) is a fundamental act of devotion for God's followers. Jesus does not forbid prayer but rather directs its proper conduct and intention.
• you must not be like: A strong prohibition (ouk esesthe) signifying a strict command against emulating a particular type of behavior.
• the hypocrites: hupokritai (Gk.). Originally referred to actors or those who wear a mask in Greek drama. In the Bible, it signifies one who pretends to be something they are not, especially in a religious context; one whose outward religious actions do not match their inner motives or true spiritual state. Here, it targets those whose piety is for show.
• For they love to pray: philousin proseuchesthai (Gk.). The word "love" (phileo) indicates an affectionate attachment or strong preference. Their affection is not for God or genuine communion, but for the act of public prayer itself because of what it gains them socially.
• standing in the synagogues: hestōtes en tais sunagogais (Gk.). Synagogues were the common places for community worship and public prayer. Standing was a customary posture for prayer, not inherently wrong. The issue is the reason for choosing to pray there.
• and on the street corners: en tais gōnias tōn plateiōn (Gk.). Gōnia means corner; plateia means wide or broad, referring to open public squares or main streets. These were highly visible locations, making one a public spectacle. The pairing with synagogues emphasizes public display over private devotion.
• that they may be seen by others: hopōs phanōsin tois anthrōpois (Gk.). This explicitly states their motivation: to appear righteous or devout in the eyes of human beings. Phanōsin suggests "to shine forth," "to be conspicuous." This desire for human applause displaces the desire for divine approval.
• Truly, I tell you: Amēn legō hymin (Gk.). Amēn (Amen) is a strong affirmation, signaling the absolute truth and solemnity of what follows. It emphasizes the certainty and gravity of Jesus' declaration.
• they have received their reward in full: apechousin ton misthon autōn (Gk.). Apechousin is a commercial term meaning to "receive full payment," "to get one's due," or "to issue a receipt for payment." It implies that they have collected the entire payment for their services (being seen by others). Since their desired payment was human recognition, they have received exactly that, and thus there is nothing left for God to reward them with. There is no heavenly account remaining.

Matthew 6 5 Bonus section

The contrast Jesus draws between private and public devotion is not an outright prohibition of public prayer. Indeed, many prayers in the Bible, including by Jesus, were offered publicly. The issue is the motive. When public acts of devotion become a platform for self-exaltation rather than genuine worship of God, they cease to be pleasing to Him. The apechousin (received their reward in full) implies a finality – once a worldly reward is sought and received, there is no other to be had. This principle applies across all spiritual disciplines: giving, praying, and fasting, all meant to be done "secretly" or sincerely, where "secretly" often refers to the private intention known only to God. It highlights the vast difference between an audience of God and an audience of man.

Matthew 6 5 Commentary

Matthew 6:5 forms a critical part of Jesus' teaching on genuine piety versus performative religiosity within the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus critiques not prayer itself, which He fully endorses, but the motive behind public prayer. The "hypocrites" are characterized by their love for being seen by men, choosing prominent places for prayer not for the glory of God, but for their own vainglory. This pursuit of human admiration, though seemingly successful on a worldly level, yields no spiritual benefit or heavenly reward. The emphatic "Truly, I tell you" underscores the spiritual reality: once they have obtained the admiration they craved from men, their account with God is settled at zero. Their human praise is their reward, exhausting any potential recompense from God. This teaching profoundly reshapes understanding of righteous living, shifting the focus from external showmanship to the internal condition of the heart, where true devotion resides. It is a call to align our actions not with public perception, but with God's perfect discernment.

• Examples:
  • A person praying loudly in a public area specifically hoping others will comment on their devotion.
  • One who posts prayer requests or boasts about prayer on social media, prioritizing likes or affirmation over the actual conversation with God.