Matthew 6:18 Meaning: The Open Reward of Secret Fasting
so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
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.
that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.
that thou mayest not appear to men fasting, but to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father, who is seeing in secret, shall reward thee manifestly.
so that thou mayest not appear fasting unto men, but to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who sees in secret shall render [it] to thee.
Meaning in one sentence
God sees your secret fast. Learn the meaning of Matthew 6:18 and the promise of being rewarded openly by your Father who sees in secret.
Context
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is reshaping what it means to live for God. He has already given two examples of secret righteousness: giving and praying. Now he turns to a third: fasting. The pattern is the same. The hypocrites perform for an audience; the disciple serves an audience of One. In Matthew 6:18, Jesus sums it up. He tells his followers to fast in such a way that only God sees it. And God, who sees what is hidden, will reward them.
Key Words
Three Greek words carry the weight of this verse. The first is phainō, the verb behind "appear" or "be seen." It means to bring into the light, to shine. Jesus uses it twice: once negatively, "appear to men," and once positively, "appear to your Father." The contrast is about who your life is shining for. The second word is kruphaios, translated "secret" or "hidden." It describes a place out of sight. God the Father is described as being "in secret", not because he is hard to find, but because he dwells in the hidden places of the heart. The third word is apodidōmi, "reward." It originally means to pay back what is owed, to settle a debt. When God rewards, he is not handing out a tip. He is responding to genuine devotion with the fullness of his love. Some early manuscripts also include the word phaneros, "openly", meaning the reward will be visible and known. Whether original or added, the idea fits: God's approval is not a secret forever.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this verse with a common focus but different emphases. Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry and Adam Clarke stress that Jesus is correcting the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who made fasting a public show. The reward for secret fasting is God's approval rather than human praise. The Geneva Bible notes point to the phrase "reward thee openly" as a promise of future glory. Some early manuscripts omit the word "openly" in this verse, as Clarke and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observe, though it appears in the parallel verses about giving and praying. In Catholic tradition, the Douay-Rheims translation includes "openly," and fasting has long been part of spiritual discipline, with this verse a reminder that its value lies in the heart. All Christians agree that God alone sees and God alone repays.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to read the "reward" in this verse as public recognition or material blessing. Some think that if you fast quietly, God will eventually make people see how holy you are. In fact, the reward is not about human applause at all. The word apodidōmi (to pay back) points to a transaction between you and God alone. The reward may come in this life or the next, but its core is God's own commendation. The "openly" that some translations add reinforces the certainty, not the audience, of the reward.
Living This Out
This week, consider a small act of devotion that no one else will know about. Maybe you decide to skip a meal and spend that time in prayer. Or you give up a comfort and offer the time to God. The hard part is keeping it quiet. Don't adjust your expression or mention it to anyone. Let your face and demeanor stay the same. When you are tempted to signal your discipline, remember: you are doing it for an audience of One. The Father sees. And that awareness can become a quiet companion through your day. It changes why you do what you do. It turns duty into conversation.
Main takeaway: Your Father sees what no one else sees, and His reward, His presence, His approval, is worth more than all human praise.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When you do something nice for God, you don't have to tell anyone. God sees you even when no one else does. He is happy when you do things just for him.
For ages 9, 12
Jesus says that when you fast or pray or give, you can do it in a way that only God notices. That means you don't act differently or tell people. You might sacrifice something you like and spend time with God instead. The amazing part is that God really sees. He is not ignoring you. He will reward you in his own way. Try to do one thing for God this week that nobody else knows about. See if it changes how you think about your relationship with him.
Questions People Ask
Why does Jesus repeat the 'in secret' teaching three times in Matthew 6?
Jesus uses the pattern for giving, praying, and fasting to show that all religious practice should be directed toward God, not toward human approval. The repetition emphasizes the importance of motive. It is a central lesson for life in the kingdom.
What does 'reward you openly' mean if some manuscripts omit 'openly'?
Even if the word 'openly' was not originally in Matthew 6:18, the idea is strongly implied by the parallel verses (Matthew 6:4, 6) where it does appear. The reward is not necessarily a public display, but rather a clear, certain response from God, whether in this life or in the age to come. The certainty remains.
Is it wrong to fast with others or to publicly call a fast?
The context is about personal fasting, not corporate. Many Christians throughout history have called public fasts (like in the book of Esther or Joel). The point Jesus makes is about the heart: when you fast privately, do it in secret. Corporate fasts involve a different context, but the motive remains the same, seeking God.
What does 'fast' mean in the Bible?
The Greek word nēsteuō means to abstain from food and drink for a religious purpose. It can be partial or complete, for a day or longer. The focus in Matthew 6 is not the method but the motive. Fasting is assumed to be a normal part of spiritual life, not something to show off.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study