Matthew 6:16

KJV1611 – Modern English

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to fast. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ὅταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε, ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ, σκυθρωποί: ἀφανίζουσιν γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν, ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες. Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅτι Ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν.

Transliteration

Hotan de nēsteuēte, mē ginesthe, hōsper the hypokritai, skythrōpoi: aphanizousin gar the prosōpa of them, hopōs phanōsin to the anthrōpois nēsteuontes. Amēn legō to you, hoti Apechousin the misthon of them.

Grammar Details

• *Hotan de nēsteuēte*: temporal conjunction + contrastive particle + present active subjunctive, 2nd plural - but whenever you fast
• *mē ginesthe*: negative particle + present middle/passive imperative, 2nd plural - do not become
• *hōsper*: comparative adverb - just as/like
• *hypokritai*: nominative, masculine, plural - hypocrites/actors
• *skythrōpoi*: nominative, masculine, plural - gloomy faced/sad-looking
• *aphanizousin gar*: present active indicative, 3rd plural + causal conjunction - for they disfigure
• *prosōpa*: accusative, neuter, plural - faces/countenances
• *hopōs phanōsin*: purpose conjunction + aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd plural - so that they might appear
• *anthrōpois*: dative, masculine, plural - to men/people
• *nēsteuontes*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, plural - fasting
• *Amēn legō*: Hebrew term + present active indicative, 1st singular - truly I say
• *hoti Apechousin*: declarative conjunction + present active indicative, 3rd plural - that they have in full
• *misthon*: accusative, masculine, singular - reward/payment

Word Meanings

• *nēsteuēte*: fast/abstain from food
• *ginesthe*: become/be/make yourselves
• *skythrōpoi*: gloomy faced/sad-looking/with a mournful expression
• *aphanizousin*: disfigure/make unrecognizable/make unsightly
• *prosōpa*: faces/countenances/appearances
• *phanōsin*: might appear/be seen/be visible
• *nēsteuontes*: fasting/abstaining from food
• *Apechousin*: have received in full/have completely/have exhausted their reward

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  When you fast, do not look somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Moreoure when ye faste be not sad as ye ypocrytes are. For they disfigure their faces that they myght be sene of me how they faste. Verely I say vnto you they have their rewarde.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Moreouer when ye fast, be not sad as ye ypocrytes are. For they disfigure their faces, that they myght be sene of men to fast. Verely I saye vnto you: they haue their rewarde.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Moreouer, when ye fast, looke not sowre as the hypocrites: for they disfigure their faces, that they might seeme vnto men to fast. Verely I say vnto you, that they haue their rewarde.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Moreouer, when ye fast, be not of an heauy countenaunce, as hypocrites are. For they disfigure theyr faces, that they myght appeare vnto men, to fast. Ueryly I say vnto you, they haue theyr rewarde.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ ‹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.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  "Moreover when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most assuredly I tell you, they have received their reward.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `And when ye may fast, be ye not as the hypocrites, of sour countenances, for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men fasting; verily I say to you, that they have their reward.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And when you go without food, be not sad-faced as the false-hearted are. For they go about with changed looks, so that men may see that they are going without food. Truly I say to you, They have their reward.

• World English Bible (2000)

  "Moreover when you fast, don't be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Proper Fasting“When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward!

Referenced Verses

• Isa 58:3-5 : 3 Why have we fasted, they say, and you do not see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you take no notice? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your labors. 4 Behold, you fast for strife and debate and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You shall not fast as you do this day, to make your voice heard on high. 5 Is this the fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
• Matt 6:2 : 2 Therefore, when you do your charitable deeds, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.
• Matt 6:5 : 5 And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.
• Luke 18:12 : 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.
• Ps 35:13 : 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned to my own bosom.
• Ps 69:10 : 10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
• Ps 109:24 : 24 My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is lean of fatness.
• 1 Cor 7:5 : 5 Do not deprive one another, except with consent for a time, to give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
• Acts 10:30 : 30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
• Matt 9:14-15 : 14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, but your disciples do not fast? 15 And Jesus said to them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they shall fast.
• Mark 2:18 : 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. And they came and said to him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?
• Luke 2:37 : 37 And she was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
• Dan 9:3 : 3 And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes:
• Zech 7:3-5 : 3 And to speak to the priests who were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these many years? 4 Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 5 Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months, even those seventy years, did you at all fast to Me, even to Me?
• Mal 3:14 : 14 You have said, 'It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?'.
• 2 Sam 12:16 : 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child; and he fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.
• 2 Sam 12:21 : 21 His servants said to him, What is this you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate.
• 1 Kgs 21:27 : 27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
• Neh 1:4 : 4 And it happened, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
• Esth 4:16 : 16 "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish."
• Acts 13:2-3 : 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
• Acts 14:23 : 23 And when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed.
• 2 Cor 6:5 : 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
• 2 Cor 11:27 : 27 In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.