The big picture
Matthew 6 opens in verse 1 with “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;”, and closes in verse 34 with “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the…” Repeated or prominent terms include Father, reward, forgive, secret, thought. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Matthew · King James Version · 34Matthew 6:1-7
1–7: Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them…
Matthew 6:1–7 opens with “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward…” and reaches “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 6 develops its own movement around Father, reward, forgive, secret, thought, with particular weight carried by reward, alms, Father.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” Naming Father and Take keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:” The line’s distinctive content terms include hand, alms, doest. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
Matthew 6:1-7
King James Version1Take 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.
Matthew 6:8-14
8–14: Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things…
Matthew 6:8–14 opens with “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before…” and reaches “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 6 develops its own movement around Father, reward, forgive, secret, thought, with particular weight carried by forgive, Father, heaven.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Naming Father keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Matthew 6:8-14
King James Version8Be 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:
Matthew 6:15-21
15–21: If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive…
Matthew 6:15–21 opens with “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” and reaches “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 6 develops its own movement around Father, reward, forgive, secret, thought, with particular weight carried by fast, Father, appear.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Naming Father keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may…” Naming Moreover and Verily keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Matthew 6:15-21
King James Version15But 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.
Matthew 6:22-28
22–28: The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy…
Matthew 6:22–28 opens with “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full…” and reaches “And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 6 develops its own movement around Father, reward, forgive, secret, thought, with particular weight carried by body, darkness, light.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 4 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Matthew 6:22-28
King James Version22The 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:
Matthew 6:29-34
29–34: Yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed…
Matthew 6:29–34 opens with “And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” and reaches “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Matthew 6 develops its own movement around Father, reward, forgive, secret, thought, with particular weight carried by morrow, thought, clothe.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Matthew 6:29-34
King James Version29And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Matthew 6:1 begins with “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.”
Where the chapter turns
Matthew 6:17 forms a natural hinge: “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;”
The final note
Matthew 6:34 leaves the reader with “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.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Father, reward, forgive, secret, thought, body help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What repeated description explains the judgment?
The earth is corrupt and filled with violence, especially in verses 11-13.
What does obedience look like here?
Detailed preparation, gathering provisions and constructing what God commands.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
The closing doxology of the Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:13. The KJV closes the prayer with “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” That doxology is absent from several early Greek manuscripts and from Luke’s parallel form of the prayer. Later manuscript forms preserve it with some variation.
View source: Bible.org, Matthew 6 commentary and manuscript note ↗