The Meaning of Matthew 6:4 Explained

Matthew 6:4

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

YLT: that thy kindness may be in secret, and thy Father who is seeing in secret Himself shall reward thee manifestly.

Darby: so that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father who sees in secret will render it to thee.

ASV: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Matthew 6:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 6:1-8 - Secret Giving And Secret Praying
First we have the general proposition that righteousness, that is, one's religious duties, should not be done for the sake of display; and that principle is then applied to alms, prayer, and fasting-the three departments into which the Jews divided personal religion.
The words take heed in Matthew 6:1 are very searching! We are all likely to put better goods in the window than we have anywhere on our shelves; and to show fairer samples than we can supply in bulk. The Greek word for hypocrite means stage actor. "We are tempted to assume on Sunday a religious attire which we certainly do not wear in the home or in business.
In her account of the first Burman convert, Mrs. Judson says: "A few days ago, I was reading with him Matthew 6:1-34. He was deeply impressed and solemn. "˜These words,' said he, "˜take hold of my very heart. They make me tremble. When our people visit the pagodas, they make a great noise with trumpets. But this religion makes the mind fear God.'" [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 6

1  Giving to the Needy
5  The Lord's Prayer
16  Proper Fasting
19  Store up Treasures in Heaven
25  Do Not Worry
33  but seek God's kingdom

Greek Commentary for Matthew 6:4

In secret [τωι κρυπτωι]
The Textus Receptus added the words εν τωι πανερωι — en tōi phanerōi (openly) here and in Matthew 6:6, but they are not genuine. Jesus does not promise a public reward for private piety. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 6:4

Matthew 6:18 In secret [εν τωι κρυπαιωι]
Here as in Matthew 6:4, Matthew 6:6 the Textus Receptus adds εν τωι πανερωι — en tōi phanerōi (openly), but it is not genuine. The word κρυπαιος — kruphaios is here alone in the New Testament, but occurs four times in the Septuagint. [source]
John 7:4 In secret [εν κρυπτωι]
See Matthew 6:4, Matthew 6:6 for this phrase. Openly “In public” See Matthew 8:32. Common in John (John 7:13, John 7:26; John 10:24; John 16:25, John 16:29; John 18:20; here again contrasted with en kruptōi). It is wise advice in the abstract that a public teacher must allow inspection of his deeds, but the motive is evil. They might get Jesus into trouble. εν κρυπτωι — If thou doest these things This condition of the first class assumes the reality of the deeds of Jesus, but the use of the condition at all throws doubt on it all as in Matthew 4:3, Matthew 4:6. Manifest thyself First aorist active imperative of πανερωσον σεαυτον — phaneroō To the world Not just to “thy disciples,” but to the public at large as at the feast of tabernacles. See John 8:26; John 14:22 for this use of τωι κοσμωι — kosmos f0). [source]
Acts 24:17 To bring alms [ελεημοσυνας ποιησον]
Another (see προσκυνησων — proskunēsōn in Acts 24:11) example of the future participle of purpose in the N.T. These “alms” (on ελεημοσυνας — eleēmosunas See Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:4, and note on Acts 10:2, common in Tobit and is in the papyri) were for the poor saints in Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15; Romans 15:26) who were none the less Jews. “And offerings” The very word used in Acts 21:26 of the offerings or sacrifices made by Paul for the four brethren and himself. It does not follow that it was Paul‘s original purpose to make these “offerings” before he came to Jerusalem (cf. Acts 18:18). He came up to worship (Acts 24:11) and to be present at Pentecost (Acts 20:16). [source]
2 Timothy 4:8 Shall give [ἀποδώσει]
Most frequent in Synoptic Gospels. It may mean to give over or away, as Matthew 27:58; Acts 5:8; Hebrews 12:16: or to give back, recompose, as here, Matthew 6:4, Matthew 6:6, Matthew 6:18; Romans 2:6. [source]
1 Peter 3:4 But the hidden man of the heart [αλλ ο κρυπτος της καρδιας αντρωπος]
Here αντρωπος — anthrōpos is in contrast with κοσμος — kosmos just before. See Paul‘s use of αντρωπος — anthrōpos for the outer and old, the inner and new man (2 Corinthians 4:16; Romans 7:22; Colossians 3:9; Ephesians 3:16; Ephesians 4:22, Ephesians 4:24). See also the Jew εν κρυπτωι — en kruptōi (Romans 2:29) and what Jesus said about God seeing “in secret” (Matthew 6:4, Matthew 6:6). [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 6:4 mean?

so that may be your - giving in - secret And the Father of you the [One] seeing will reward you
ὅπως σου ἐλεημοσύνη ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ καὶ Πατήρ σου βλέπων ἀποδώσει σοι

ὅπως  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅπως  
Sense: how, that.
  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
σου  your 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐλεημοσύνη  giving 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐλεημοσύνη  
Sense: mercy, pity.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κρυπτῷ  secret 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: κρυπτός 
Sense: hidden, concealed, secret.
Πατήρ  Father 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
σου  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
βλέπων  seeing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: βλέπω  
Sense: to see, discern, of the bodily eye.
ἀποδώσει  will  reward 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποδίδωμι  
Sense: to deliver, to give away for one’s own profit what is one’s own, to sell.