Giving to the Needy in Secret
Matthew 6:1-4
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Matt.6.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Προσεχετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- δε: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δικαιοσυνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- μη: PART
- ποιειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- εμπροσθεν: PREP,gen
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ανθρωπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- προς: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- θεαθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- αυτοις·ει: PRON,dat,pl,3+CONJ
- δε: CONJ
- μη: PART
- γε: PART,emph
- μισθον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- παρα: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- πατρι: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- ουρανοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Matthew 23:5 (verbal): Jesus criticizes making religious displays for show—phylacteries and broad hems—using similar language about doing deeds to be seen by others.
- Matthew 23:27-28 (thematic): Condemns outward appearance of righteousness that hides inner corruption—parallels the contrast between public show and true reward from the Father.
- Luke 12:1 (thematic): A warning against the 'leaven of the Pharisees' (hypocrisy); thematically aligns with the call not to practice piety merely to be seen.
- Luke 18:9-14 (structural): The Pharisee-and-tax-collector parable contrasts public, self‑justifying righteousness with humble sincerity, illustrating the danger of doing righteousness for human approval.
- Isaiah 29:13 (allusion): Prophetic critique—'honor me with lips while hearts are far'—echoed in Jesus' rebuke of externally performed piety that lacks genuine devotion.
Alternative generated candidates
- Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your heavenly Father.
- Beware of practicing your righteousness before others to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Matt.6.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Οταν: CONJ,sub
- ουν: PART
- ποιης: VERB,pres,act,subj,2,sg
- ελεημοσυνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- μη: PART
- σαλπισης: VERB,aor,act,subj,2,sg
- εμπροσθεν: PREP,gen
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- ωσπερ: CONJ,compar
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- υποκριται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ποιουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- συναγωγαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- ταις: ART,dat,pl,f
- ρυμαις: NOUN,dat,pl,f
- οπως: CONJ
- δοξασθωσιν: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,pl
- υπο: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- ανθρωπων·αμην: NOUN,gen,pl,m+INTJ
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- απεχουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- μισθον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,c
Parallels
- Matthew 6:5 (structural): Immediately adjacent teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about prayer: warns against practicing piety to be seen by others (same rhetorical contrast with 'hypocrites').
- Matthew 6:16 (structural): Parallel unit on fasting in the same discourse: again prohibits ostentatious display of religious devotion so that praise is not sought from people.
- Luke 11:41 (verbal): Lucan parallel urging generosity: 'give as alms...' echoes Matthew's concern with the inward reality of charitable acts and proper disposition in giving.
- Matthew 23:5 (thematic): Jesus' later denunciation of the Pharisees: exposes religious leaders who perform deeds to be seen by men—same critique of public piety done for human honor.
- Isaiah 58:3-7 (thematic): Prophetic critique of empty ritual: God rejects outward fasting and worship when not accompanied by justice and genuine care for the needy—echoes the concern behind Jesus' prohibition of showy almsgiving.
Alternative generated candidates
- So when you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to be honored by people. Truly I tell you, they have already received their reward.
- So when you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
Matt.6.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- δε: CONJ
- ποιουντος: VERB,pres,act,ptcp,gen,sg,m
- ελεημοσυνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- μη: PART
- γνωτω: VERB,pres,act,imp,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αριστερα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- τι: PRON,acc,sg,n
- ποιει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δεξια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
Parallels
- Matthew 6:4 (verbal): Closely connected verse in the same teaching: instructs that almsgiving should be done 'in secret,' promising that the Father who sees in secret will reward—echoes the secrecy motif of 6:3.
- Luke 12:33-34 (thematic): Luke's parallel teachings urge selling possessions and giving alms and link giving to heavenly treasure, reflecting the same ethic of generous, non‑self‑seeking charity.
- Tobit 4:7 (allusion): A piece of Jewish wisdom instruction to give alms without begrudging the gift; provides a pre‑Christian ethical/background parallel stressing charitable giving and proper attitude.
- 2 Corinthians 9:7 (thematic): Paul's instruction that each give what he has decided in his heart (not reluctantly or under compulsion) emphasizes motive in giving rather than public display, resonating with Jesus' call for discreet, sincere charity.
Alternative generated candidates
- But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
- But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
Matt.6.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οπως: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- ελεημοσυνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- κρυπτω·και: ADJ,dat,sg,n+CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- πατηρ: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- βλεπων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- κρυπτω: ADJ,dat,sg,n
- αποδωσει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
Parallels
- Matthew 6:2 (structural): Direct contrast within the same teaching—public almsgiving 'they have received their reward' vs secret giving rewarded by the Father.
- Matthew 6:6 (verbal): Uses the same language of secrecy and the Father 'who sees in secret will reward you' applied to prayer; parallels phrase and structure.
- Matthew 6:18 (verbal): Same instruction for fasting: perform the act 'in secret' so that the Father who sees in secret will reward you—parallel application of the principle.
- Proverbs 19:17 (thematic): Portrays generosity to the poor as lending to the LORD who repays—an Old Testament precedent for God rewarding charity.
- Hebrews 6:10 (thematic): Affirms that God does not forget your work and love and will repay, echoing the NT theme that God rewards righteous deeds done in faith.
Alternative generated candidates
- So that your giving may be in secret; and your heavenly Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
- so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Take care not to practice your righteousness before people to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. So when you give alms, do not announce it with trumpet blasts, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on the streets, that they may be praised by people. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. So that your giving may be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.