The Sermon on the Mount: How to Fast

16 “Whenever you fast, do not be sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unrecognizable in order that they may be seen fasting by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full! 17 But when[a] you are fasting, put olive oil on your head[b] and wash your face 18 so that you will not be seen by people as fasting, but to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:17 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“fasting”) which is understood as temporal
  2. Matthew 6:17 Literally “anoint your head”

Proper Fasting

16 “When[a] you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive[b] so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth,[c] they have their reward! 17 When[d] you fast, anoint your head[e] and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:16 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  2. Matthew 6:16 tn Here the term “disfigure” (employed in a number of translations) was not used because it could convey to the modern reader the notion of physical mutilation. L&N 79.17 states, “‘to make unsightly, to disfigure, to make ugly.’ ἀφανίζουσιν γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ‘for they make their faces unsightly’ Mt 6:16.”
  3. Matthew 6:16 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
  4. Matthew 6:17 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  5. Matthew 6:17 sn This anointing would be done with olive oil or perfumed oil, a cosmetic procedure done in conjunction with washing the face.