Matthew 6:17

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

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples during the Sermon on the Mount, giving direct instructions on how to conduct religious disciplines. He positions this teaching immediately after warning against hypocritical fasting and before promising divine reward for secret obedience.

The words — νηστεύων (nēsteuōn) translates literally as "fasting," while ἄλειψαί (aleipsai) commands "do anoint yourself." These terms establish the physical act of abstaining from food alongside the cultural practice of applying oil to the scalp.

The thread — The text describes washing and anointing as standard grooming practices found in Ruth 3:3, Ecclesiastes 9:8, and 2 Samuel 12:20. Jesus redirects this everyday custom to indicate that fasting should not produce visible signs of mourning or neglect.

Why it lands — The passage requires fasting to remain unnoticeable to other people and directed solely toward the unseen Father. Readers must evaluate whether their spiritual routines prioritize human recognition or private accountability.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

σὺsuYou yourself δὲdehowever νηστεύωνnēsteuōnfasting ἄλειψαίaleipsaido anoint yourself σουsouyour τὴνtēn<the>κεφαλὴνkephalēnhead καὶkaiand τὸtothe πρόσωπόνprosōponface σουsouof you νίψαιnipsaido wash, yourself

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Ruth 3:3 Therefore wash yourself, put on perfume, and wear your best clothes. Go down to the threshing floor, but do not let the man know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking.
Ecclesiastes 9:8 Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.
2 Samuel 12:20 Then David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they set food before him, and he ate.
Daniel 10:2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.
2 Samuel 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.