Matthew 6:4

6:4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:6

6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:14

6:14 “For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Matthew 6:18

6:18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.


tc L W Θ 0250 Ï it read ἐν τῷ φανερῷ (en tw fanerw, “openly”) at the end of this verse, giving a counterweight to what is done in secret. But this reading is suspect because of the obvious literary balance, because of detouring the point of the passage (the focus of vv. 1-4 is not on two kinds of public rewards but on human vs. divine approbation), and because of superior external testimony that lacks this reading (א B D Z Ë1,13 33 al).

sn The term translated room refers to the inner room of a house, normally without any windows opening outside, the most private location possible (BDAG 988 s.v. ταμεῖον 2).

tc See the tc note on “will reward you” in 6:4: The problem is the same and the ms support differs only slightly.

tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense: “people, others.”