Matthew 6 6

Matthew 6:6 kjv

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.

Matthew 6:6 nkjv

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:6 niv

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:6 esv

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:6 nlt

But 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.

Matthew 6 verses

Matthew 6 6 Meaning

Matthew 6:6 teaches believers the authentic way to approach prayer, emphasizing sincerity and intimacy over outward display. Jesus instructs His disciples to retreat to a private place for prayer, where they can commune with God, their unseen Father. This hidden act of devotion ensures the prayer's focus is solely on God, who observes even the most secret intentions of the heart and responds with genuine blessing, distinct from human applause. It establishes a personal, relational connection with God, free from hypocrisy and public performance.

Matthew 6 6 Context

Matthew chapter 6 is part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus elaborates on the principles of true righteousness, contrasting them sharply with the hypocritical practices of the Pharisees and others of His day. The chapter opens with a general warning against performing righteous acts to be seen by others (v. 1). Following this, Jesus provides specific examples for almsgiving (v. 2-4), prayer (v. 5-15), and fasting (v. 16-18). Matthew 6:6 is central to His teaching on prayer, directly countering the public displays of piety practiced by hypocrites for human acclaim, as described in the preceding verse. The immediate historical context is first-century Jewish society, where public prayer was common, but sincerity of heart often neglected in favor of social status and external religious performance. Jesus redefines true religious devotion as an inward, private transaction with God.

Matthew 6 6 Word analysis

• "But" (Δε - De): A conjunction marking a strong contrast. It signifies a shift from the description of the hypocritical prayer in v. 5 to the proper, sincere method of prayer Jesus advocates.

• "when you pray" (ὅταν προσεύχῃ - hotan proseuchē): "When" (ὅταν) suggests this is an expected and regular practice, not merely an occasional act. "Pray" (προσεύχῃ - proseuchomai) means to supplicate, to make a request to God, or to worship Him.

• "go into your room" (εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμεῖόν σου - eiselthe eis to tameion sou):

  • "go into" (εἴσελθε - eiselthe): An imperative verb, a direct command from Jesus.
  • "your room" (τὸ ταμεῖόν σου - to tameion sou): The Greek tameion refers to an inner chamber, a private storeroom, a secret place, or even a treasury. It implies a place of retreat, specifically away from public view and noise, rather than just any general bedroom. It signifies a dedicated, isolated space for focused communion.

• "close your door" (καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν σου - kai kleisas tēn thyran sou): The act of closing the door physically symbolizes shutting out external distractions and, critically, any potential human audience. It represents an intentional act of isolating oneself with God.

• "and pray" (προσεύξαι - proseuxai): Repetition emphasizes the action, reinforcing that the purpose of entering the room and closing the door is sincere prayer.

• "to your Father" (τῷ Πατρί σου - tō Patri sou): Highlights the intimate, personal relationship available to believers. Jesus consistently teaches His disciples to relate to God as their "Father," signifying warmth, trust, and loving dependence, a radical departure from more formal, distant concepts of God.

• "who is unseen" (τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ - tō en tō kryptō):

  • "unseen" (ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ - en tō kryptō): Literally "in the secret/hidden [place/way]". It points to God's nature as Spirit, transcending human perception, yet omnipresent. It underscores that God's presence is not dependent on physical location or visibility to others.

• "and your Father, who sees what is done in secret" (καὶ ὁ Πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ - kai ho Patēr sou ho blepōn en tō kryptō):

  • This phrase reiterates the personal relationship and God's omniscience. God sees (βλέπων - blepōn), meaning He perceives, notices, and is fully aware of every hidden action and thought.

• "will reward you" (ἀποδώσει σοι - apodōsei soi):

  • "will reward" (ἀποδώσει - apodōsei): Signifies that God will give back, repay, or compensate. The reward is not specified as material, but comes directly from God Himself, encompassing spiritual blessings, His favor, an increase in intimacy, peace, or answering of prayer. It is in direct contrast to the fleeting human praise sought by hypocrites.

• Phrase analysis: "go into your room, close your door": This phrase together symbolizes the active and intentional pursuit of seclusion from public view and external distractions. It signifies a deliberate mental and physical withdrawal for the purpose of focused and unadulterated communion with God.

• Phrase analysis: "to your Father, who is unseen": This highlights the object of sincere prayer—a personal and invisible God. The invisibility reinforces that prayer is not for a human audience but for an omnipresent divine being who does not need physical presence to hear and interact.

• Phrase analysis: "your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you": This powerfully contrasts divine observation and reward with human observation and fleeting praise. It assures believers that God truly perceives the sincerity of their hearts, even in unseen acts, and that He is the ultimate, trustworthy source of affirmation and blessing for true devotion.

Matthew 6 6 Bonus section

• The practical function of the tameion in an ancient home was also often a secure place for valuables or a quiet refuge from a typically bustling, communal household. This suggests the space chosen for prayer should not only be private but also conducive to undistracted focus on that which is most valuable—communion with God.
• Jesus’ emphasis on "your Father" establishes a theological paradigm where God is intimately approachable and relationally connected to believers, differing from a distant, austere deity often perceived in some religious traditions. This accessibility encourages sincere, vulnerable prayer.
• While promoting private prayer, this teaching does not negate the value of corporate or public prayer, provided its motivation remains true and centered on God's glory rather than self-exaltation. The passage's polemic is against hypocrisy and the desire to be seen by others (v. 5), not against prayer in community when it is truly God-honoring.

Matthew 6 6 Commentary

Matthew 6:6 delivers a foundational principle for Christian prayer: its essence lies in genuine intimacy with God, not external performance. Jesus redirects the focus of prayer from the public square, where hypocrisy seeks human praise, to the private inner chamber, where a soul connects with the unseen God. The "room" and "closed door" are powerful symbols of detachment from worldly concerns and the scrutiny of others, creating a sacred space for undivided attention to God. This isn't a command against corporate prayer, but rather a rebuke of performative piety; prayer’s true value is measured by the sincerity of the heart. The promise that the "Father, who sees in secret, will reward" underscores divine omniscience and His profound desire to bless authentic seeking. The reward is often spiritual – a deepening relationship with God, peace, divine wisdom, or a quiet strengthening of faith – rather than worldly recognition, aligning with God's hidden, yet omnipresent, nature. It is a call to pray from a place of humble, trust-filled dependence, knowing that God is intimately attentive to every sincere whisper of the heart.