Matthew 6:16
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Moreover 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.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 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.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
- KJV
- Moreover 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.
- WEB
- “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.
- ASV
- Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.
- DARBY
- And when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, downcast in countenance; for they disfigure their faces, so that they may appear fasting to men: verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
- BLB
- And when you⁺ may fast, do not be as the hypocrites, gloomy-faced; for they disfigure their faces so that they might appear to men [as] fasting. Truly I say to you⁺, they have their reward in full.
- ÅB
- «Når dere faster skal dere ikke gå med sorgfult ansikt slik som hyklerne; for de forvrenger ansiktet sitt for at menneskene skal se at de faster. I sannhet sier jeg dere: De har allerede fått sin lønn.
- OTB
- "Når du faster, skal du ikke se dyster ut som hyklerne, for de fordreier ansiktene sine for å vise andre at de faster. Sannelig, jeg sier dere, de har fått sin belønning i fullt monn.
- B1930
- Når I faster, da skal I ikke gå med mørkt åsyn som hyklerne; for de gjør sitt ansikt ukjennelig, forat menneskene skal se at de faster; sannelig sier jeg eder: De har allerede fått sin lønn.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 58:3–5
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
Read in contextMatthew 9:14–15
Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
Read in contextNehemiah 1:4
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
Read in contextDaniel 9:3
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Read in contextPsalms 69:10
When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
Read in contextLuke 18:12
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Read in contextPsalms 35:13
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
Read in contextMark 2:18
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
Read in context