Matthew 6:5 - “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.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Matthew 6:5" mean?
This verse from Matthew 6:5 is part of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, and it addresses the issue of hypocrisy in prayer. Let's break it down:
"When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites...": Jesus is instructing his followers on how to pray correctly and warns them against imitating the behavior of hypocrites.
"...for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets...": This describes the motivation of the hypocrites. They don't pray out of genuine devotion to God. Instead, they choose public places like synagogues (places of worship) and street corners (busy areas) to pray.
"...that they may be seen by men.": This is the key: their goal is to be noticed and admired by other people for their apparent piety. They are performing for an audience.
"Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.": This is the consequence. Jesus is saying that the praise and recognition they receive from others is the only reward they will get. They won't receive a reward from God because their hearts weren't in it.
In essence, the verse teaches that:
Prayer should be sincere and motivated by a genuine relationship with God, not by a desire for public approval.
Hypocrisy in religious practice is condemned. God sees the true intentions of the heart.
Seeking validation from others through religious displays is counterproductive. It might earn you praise in the short term, but it forfeits a true, spiritual reward.
The verse encourages humility and authenticity in prayer. It suggests that prayer is a private and personal communication with God, not a public performance. The focus should be on God's attention, not human attention.
Matthew 6:5 - “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.
What does "Matthew 6:5" mean?
This verse from Matthew 6:5 is part of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, and it addresses the issue of hypocrisy in prayer. Let's break it down:
"When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites...": Jesus is instructing his followers on how to pray correctly and warns them against imitating the behavior of hypocrites.
"...for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets...": This describes the motivation of the hypocrites. They don't pray out of genuine devotion to God. Instead, they choose public places like synagogues (places of worship) and street corners (busy areas) to pray.
"...that they may be seen by men.": This is the key: their goal is to be noticed and admired by other people for their apparent piety. They are performing for an audience.
"Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.": This is the consequence. Jesus is saying that the praise and recognition they receive from others is the only reward they will get. They won't receive a reward from God because their hearts weren't in it.
In essence, the verse teaches that:
Prayer should be sincere and motivated by a genuine relationship with God, not by a desire for public approval.
Hypocrisy in religious practice is condemned. God sees the true intentions of the heart.
Seeking validation from others through religious displays is counterproductive. It might earn you praise in the short term, but it forfeits a true, spiritual reward.
The verse encourages humility and authenticity in prayer. It suggests that prayer is a private and personal communication with God, not a public performance. The focus should be on God's attention, not human attention.