# Matthew 6.18

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 16. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;</span>
>
> **18. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span>**
>
> 19. <span class="rl-speech">Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal:</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:</span> (Matthew 6:16-20, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 16. <span class="rl-speech">“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.</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;</span>
>
> **18. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span>**
>
> 19. <span class="rl-speech">“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal;</span> (Matthew 6:16-20, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 16. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;</span>
>
> **18. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span>**
>
> 19. <span class="rl-speech">Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:</span> (Matthew 6:16-20, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 16. <span class="rl-speech">'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.</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">'But thou, fasting, anoint thy head, and wash thy face,</span>
>
> **18. <span class="rl-speech">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.</span>**
>
> 19. <span class="rl-speech">'Treasure not up to yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust disfigure, and where thieves break through and steal,</span> 20. <span class="rl-speech">but treasure up to yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth disfigure, and where thieves do not break through nor steal,</span> (Matthew 6:16-20, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from Sanctity](/codex/argument-from-sanctity/), via [Matthew 6.1-21](/codex/matthew-6-1-21/)
- [Argument from the Demand to Be Witnessed](/codex/argument-from-the-demand-to-be-witnessed/)

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 6](/codex/matthew-6/)
- [Sermon on the Mount](/codex/sermon-on-the-mount/), via [Matthew 6](/codex/matthew-6/), [Matthew 6.1-18](/codex/matthew-6-1-18/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.