Skip to content
Scripture Mapping

Matthew 6

World English Bible

WEB

1“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, 4so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 5“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7In praying, don’t use vain repetitions as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 8Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him. 9Pray like this: “‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’ 14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 16“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18so 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. 19“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. 25Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? 27“Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? 28Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? 31“Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Matthew Chapter 6 continues Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the themes of righteousness, prayer, and the proper attitude towards material possessions. Jesus begins by warning against practicing righteousness for the sake of public recognition, emphasizing that true acts of charity should be done in secret, so that only God sees and rewards them. He teaches that when we give to the needy, we should not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing, highlighting the importance of humility and sincerity in our actions. This principle of hidden righteousness is a recurring theme throughout the chapter, reminding believers to seek God's approval rather than human praise.

Jesus then addresses the topic of prayer, providing a model known as the Lord's Prayer. He instructs his followers to pray in private rather than in public to be seen by others. The Lord's Prayer encapsulates key elements of Christian faith, including the acknowledgment of God's holiness, the request for daily provision, the plea for forgiveness, and the desire for deliverance from evil. This prayer serves as a guide for believers, emphasizing the relational aspect of prayer with God.

The chapter concludes with a powerful teaching on the dangers of materialism. Jesus reminds us that we cannot serve both God and money, urging his followers to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. He reassures them not to worry about their physical needs, as God knows what they require and will provide for them. Instead, Jesus encourages a focus on seeking God's kingdom and righteousness first, promising that all these things will be added to them. This chapter profoundly challenges believers to examine their priorities and trust in God's provision, reinforcing the call to live a life centered on faith and devotion to Him. #SermonOnTheMount #Lord'sPrayer #Righteousness #Materialism

Study

14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. Exodus 23:25v33Exodus 23:25 promises blessings for serving God, similar to Matthew 6:33, where Jesus teaches to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
  2. Deuteronomy 11:13-14v33Deuteronomy 11:13-14 promises rain and provision for obedience, paralleling Matthew 6:33, where Jesus teaches that seeking God's kingdom and righteousness will result in all necessary things being provided.
  3. Deuteronomy 14:23v33Deuteronomy 14:23 emphasizes tithing as a way to learn to fear the Lord, which aligns with Matthew 6:33's call to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
  4. 1 Samuel 9:20v311 Samuel 9:20 reassures Saul about the lost donkeys, emphasizing God's provision, similar to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:31-33 about not worrying because God knows our needs.
  5. 1 Kings 17:6v261 Kings 17:6 describes how God provides for Elijah by sending ravens with food. Matthew 6:26 speaks of God's provision for the birds and assures believers of His care for them.
  6. 2 Kings 17:33v242 Kings 17:33 highlights the people's divided worship, serving both the Lord and their own gods, which is similar to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:24 about the impossibility of serving two masters.
  7. 1 Chronicles 22:19v331 Chronicles 22:19 calls for setting the heart and soul to seek the Lord, paralleling Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:33 to seek first the kingdom of God.
  8. 1 Chronicles 29:11v131 Chronicles 29:11 acknowledges God's greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty, which is echoed in the doxology of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:13, emphasizing God's eternal sovereignty.
  9. 2 Chronicles 1:12v33God grants Solomon not only wisdom but also wealth and honor, similar to the promise in Matthew 6:33 that seeking God's kingdom first will result in all these things being added.
  10. Job 31:24-28v24Job 31:24-28 discusses not putting trust in wealth or worshiping the sun and moon, paralleling Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:24 about not serving both God and money.
  11. Psalms 37:4v33Psalm 37:4 encourages delighting in the Lord to receive the desires of one's heart, which aligns with Matthew 6:33's teaching to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, promising that all these things will be added.
  12. Psalms 38:9v8Psalm 38:9 expresses that all desires and sighs are known to God, paralleling Matthew 6:8, where Jesus teaches that the Father knows what we need before we ask Him.
  13. Psalms 111:5v11Psalm 111:5 speaks of God providing food for those who fear Him, which is echoed in the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:11, asking for daily bread.
  14. Psalms 127:2v31Psalm 127:2 speaks of the vanity of anxious toil, which aligns with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:31-34 about not worrying over daily needs, as God provides for His children.
  15. Proverbs 10:2v19Proverbs 10:2 emphasizes that treasures of wickedness profit nothing, while righteousness delivers from death. This is echoed in Matthew 6:19-20, where Jesus teaches about storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth.
  16. Proverbs 23:4v19Proverbs 23:4 warns against laboring to be rich, emphasizing the fleeting nature of wealth. Matthew 6:19-21 echoes this by advising believers to store treasures in heaven rather than on earth.
  17. Proverbs 30:8-9v11Proverbs 30:8-9 speaks of asking God for daily provision and avoiding both poverty and riches, which aligns with the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:11, where Jesus teaches to pray for daily bread.
  18. Ecclesiastes 5:2v7Ecclesiastes 5:2 warns against rash words before God, paralleling Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:7, where He advises against vain repetitions in prayer, emphasizing sincerity and thoughtfulness.
  19. Jeremiah 45:5v33Jeremiah 45:5 advises Baruch not to seek great things for himself, which aligns with the teaching in Matthew 6:33 to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Both passages emphasize prioritizing God's will over personal ambition.
  20. Mark 11:25v14Mark 11:25 emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in prayer, which aligns with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:14-15 about forgiving others to receive forgiveness from God.
  21. Luke 11:2v9Luke 11:2 contains the Lord's Prayer, which is also found in Matthew 6:9-13. Both passages emphasize the importance of prayer and the model Jesus provides for His disciples.
  22. Luke 11:34v22Luke 11:34 discusses the eye as the lamp of the body, a concept also found in Matthew 6:22-23, emphasizing the importance of spiritual perception and purity.
  23. Luke 12:22-31v25Both passages encourage believers not to worry about material needs, emphasizing trust in God's provision and the priority of seeking His kingdom.
  24. Luke 16:13v24Both Luke 16:13 and Matthew 6:24 teach that one cannot serve two masters, highlighting the impossibility of serving both God and money.
  25. 2 Corinthians 2:10v142 Corinthians 2:10 discusses forgiveness, which is a central theme in Matthew 6:14-15, where Jesus teaches about the necessity of forgiving others to receive forgiveness from God.
  26. Philippians 4:19v33Philippians 4:19 assures that God will supply all needs according to His riches in glory, which complements Matthew 6:33, where Jesus teaches to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added.
  27. 1 Timothy 6:17v191 Timothy 6:17 advises the rich not to be arrogant or put their hope in wealth, which aligns with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19-21 about storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

  • Luke 11The Lord's PrayerUndivided LoyaltyInner Light
  • Luke 12Do Not WorryAnxietyHypocrisy
  • 1 Timothy 6Spiritual WealthWealthPriorities in the Christian Life
  • Luke 16Serving GodEternal ValuesHeaven
  • Philippians 4AnxietyChristian WorshipGiving
  • Ecclesiastes 5Focus on ChristSincerityWealth
  • Matthew 23Inner PurityHypocrisyAuthenticity
  • Isaiah 58FastingCharityAuthenticity
  • Exodus 16Daily BreadGod's ProvisionDivine Provision
  • Luke 17Focus on ChristPriorities in the Christian LifeEternal Perspective
  • Proverbs 30Daily BreadDependence on God
  • Mark 10WealthPriorities in the Christian LifeEternal Perspective

Your study

Take it with you

This chapter’s study as a Markdown file. The analysis was written for a notebook originally, so the hashtags arrive as hashtags and the passages as links.

Download the analysisDownload it with your notes and highlights