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.
Parallel translations
- WEB so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
- 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.
- NKJV so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
- NASB so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
- NLT Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Fast so that only your Father, who sees in secret, knows—and he will reward you. God's hidden approval far outweighs human applause.
Overview
This verse completes the pattern that has run through giving, prayer, and fasting: each is to be done before the Father who sees in secret rather than for human eyes. The repeated promise of secret reward reorients the disciple's entire spiritual life toward God's approval. True piety seeks the Father himself, finding its joy and reward in him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Matt 6:6But 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.
- Matt 6:4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
- 2 Cor 10:18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
- 2 Cor 5:9So we aspire to please Him, whether we are here in this body or away from it.
- Col 3:22–24Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.
- 1 Pet 2:13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
- 1 Pet 1:7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- Rom 2:6God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 6:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.