Matthew 6:6

And Jesus said, “I’ll tell you the right way to pray. Go away from other people to a place where you can be alone, like go into a little room in your house and close the door. There you can pray to God, your father. He is in that secret place. And he sees what you do. He will listen to you, and he will be properly good to you for respecting him.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

5Jesus said, “Don’t pray like those people that want everyone to think they are good, even though they are not good. They like to stand up and pray in the meeting houses and on the busy street corners, so that lots of people can see them praying. They want to hear people say, ‘That’s a good person.’ But listen, that is all those people will get. God will not give them anything good for doing that.”

7And when you pray, don’t keep on talking on and on, with lots of words that don’t mean anything. People that don’t know God, they do that. They think that if they talk a lot, God will hear them. But they are wrong.

Read all of Matthew 6

Cross References

Matthew 6:4Keep it a secret. You know, God, your father, always sees what you do in secret, and he will be properly good to you for doing that.”

John 1:48Nathaniel asked Jesus, “How do you know me?” Jesus said, “I knew you even before Philip found you. I saw you while you were under that fruit tree.”

Acts 9:40Peter told everyone to go outside. Then he got down on his knees, to show respect to God, and he prayed. Then he turned and looked at the body, and said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and she saw Peter, then she sat up.

Matthew Henry on Matthew 6:6-9

The Sermon on the Mount. 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. 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. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 6:6