Matthew 6 · Verse 4

Matthew 6:4

That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:4, King James Version

Matthew 6:4 in other translations

BSBso that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
WEBso that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
ASVthat thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.
YLTthat thy kindness may be in secret, and thy Father who is seeing in secret Himself shall reward thee manifestly.
DARBYso that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father who sees in secret will render it to thee.
BBESo that your giving may be in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will give you your reward.
WebsterThat thy alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself will reward thee openly.

What does Matthew 6:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. That thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly--The word "Himself" appears to be an unauthorized addition to the text, which the sense no doubt suggested. (See 1Ti 5:25; Ro 2:16; 1Co 4:5). Prayer (Mt 6:5, 6).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 4. Mt 6:3

(n) "reward thee openly" Lk 8:17, 14:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Which seeth in secret - We should ever remember that the eye of the Lord is upon us, and that he sees not only the act, but also every motive that led to it. Shall reward thee openly - Will give thee the fullest proofs of his acceptance of thy work of faith, and labor of love, by increasing that substance which, for his sake, thou sharest with the poor; and will manifest his approbation in thy own heart, by the witness of his Spirit.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 6:1-4

Evil of being worldly-minded. (19-24) Trust in God commended. (25-34) Verses 1-4 Our Lord next warned against hypocrisy and outward show in religious duties. What we do, must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised of men. In these verses we are cautioned against hypocrisy in giving alms. Take heed of it. It is a subtle sin; and vain-glory creeps into what we do…

Read the full comment on Matthew 6:1-4 →

Matthew 6:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὅπωςhopōsso thatG3704
ᾖēmay beG1510
σουsouyourG4771
ἡhē<the>G3588
ἐλεημοσύνηeleēmosunēgivingG1654
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtō<the>G3588
κρυπτῷ.kruptōsecret.G2927
καὶkaiAndG2532
ὁhotheG3588
πατήρpatērFatherG3962
σουsouof youG4771
ὁhothe [One]G3588
βλέπωνblepōnseeingG991
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtō<the>G3588
κρυπτῷkruptōsecretG2927
ἀποδώσειapodōseiwill rewardG591
σοιsoiyouG4771
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtō<the>G3588
φανερῷ.¶phanerōpublic.G5318

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 6:4

  • Matthew 6:18

    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.

  • Matthew 6:6

    But 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.

  • Jeremiah 17:10

    I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

  • Luke 14:14

    And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

  • Psalms 44:21

    Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

  • Matthew 25:34-40

    Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? …

  • Psalms 139:12

    Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

  • Jeremiah 23:24

    Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.

  • Luke 8:17

    For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

  • 1 Samuel 2:30

    Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

  • Psalms 17:3

    Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

  • Psalms 139:1-3

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
seeth.
6,18; Ps 17:3; 44:21; 139:1-3,12; Jer 17:10; 23:24; Heb 4:13
Re 2:23
reward.
10:42; 25:34-40; 1Sa 2:30; Lu 8:17; 14:14; 1Co 4:5; Jude 1:24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 6:3

    But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

  • Matthew 6:4

    That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

  • Matthew 6:5

    And 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.

Read all of Matthew 6

Matthew 6:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Para que sea tu limosna en secreto: y tu Padre que ve en secreto, él te recompensará en público.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		en sorte que ton aumône soit faite dans le secret; et ton Père qui voit dans le secret, te récompensera.
German
Elberfelder 1871		damit dein Almosen im Verborgenen sei, und dein Vater, der im Verborgenen sieht, wird dir vergelten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		ut sit eleemosyna tua in abscondito, et Pater tuus, qui videt in abscondito, reddet tibi.