Matthew 6:17

But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

Unlocked Literal Bible

In The King James Version

But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

In Context

16When you fast, do not have a mournful face as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to people as fasting. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward.

18so that it would not appear to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret, will reward you.

Read all of Matthew 6

Cross References

Ruth 3:3Therefore, wash yourself, anoint yourself, put on your best clothes, and go down to the threshing floor. But do not make yourself known to the man until he finishes eating and drinking. + 3:3 The Hebrew text has, Put on your best piece of clothing . However, a marginal note instructs readers to read, Put on your best clothes. Translators are free to choose for themselves.

2 Samuel 14:2So Joab sent word to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought to him. He said to her, “Please pretend you are a mourner and put on mourning clothes. Please do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

Daniel 10:2In those days I, Daniel, was in mourning for three weeks.

Matthew Henry on Matthew 6:17-19

The Sermon on the Mount. 16 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. We are here cautioned against hypocrisy in fasting, as before in almsgiving, and in… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Matthew 6:17