Matthew 6:1–4
Jesus: give in secret, without a trumpet
Study it word by word1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness before people in order to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
2So when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by people. Truly I tell you, they have received in full their reward.
3But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
In its context
…
5“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they are fond of praying standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets, so that they may be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have received in full their reward.
6But you, when you pray, go into your inner room and, having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
Its words in the original
- ΠροσέχετεProsechete· pay attention, beware
Pay attention to, take heed; "watch out", be on guard against something; also give oneself to something.
- δικαιοσύνηνdikaiosynēn· righteousness
Righteousness: what is right before God, and living by it.
- ποιεῖνpoiein· do, make
Do, make, produce.
- ἔμπροσθενemprosthen· before, in front of
In front of, before.
- ἀνθρώπωνanthrōpōn· human being, man
Human being, person, man (without distinguishing male or female).
- θεαθῆναιtheathēnai· see, behold
See, look at closely, behold.
- μισθὸνmisthon· wages, reward
Pay, wages; reward.
- ἔχετεechete· have
Have, possess, hold.
- πατρὶpatri· father, Father
Father; also ancestor.
- οὐρανοῖςouranois· heaven, sky
Heaven: the sky and, above all, the place of God. "The heavens" is sometimes a respectful way of saying "God".
- ὍτανHotan· when, whenever
When, whenever.
- ἐλεημοσύνηνeleēmosynēn· alms, charity
Alms: what is given to the poor out of mercy; also acts of mercy.
- σαλπίσῃςsalpisēis· sound a trumpet
Sound a trumpet; announce with a trumpet.
- ὥσπερhōsper· just as
Just as, in the same way as.
- ὑποκριταὶhypokritai· hypocrite
Hypocrite: originally an actor playing a part; one who puts on a show before others.
- συναγωγαῖςsynagōgais· synagogue
Synagogue: the gathering of Jews to read Scripture and pray, and the building where they met.
- ῥύμαιςrhymais· lane, street
Lane, narrow street.
- δοξασθῶσινdoxasthōsin· glorify
Glorify: honor, give glory.
- ἀμὴνamēn· truly, amen
Amen: a Hebrew word meaning "so it is", "it is firm". Jesus uses it at the start of a saying to affirm what he is about to say: "truly".
- λέγωlegō· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- ἀπέχουσινapechousin· be paid, be far
Have received in full, as on a receipt; also be distant. "It is enough".
- γνώτωgnōtō· know
Know, come to know, realize. Said of a man and a woman, have sexual relations.
- ἀριστεράaristera· left
Left, the left hand.
- δεξιάdexia· right
Right (hand, side).
- ᾖēi· be
Be, exist.
- κρυπτῷkryptōi· hidden, secret
Hidden, secret; "in secret", where no one sees.
- βλέπωνblepōn· see, look
See, look; watch out.
- ἀποδώσειapodōsei· give back, pay
Pay, give back, give what is owed.