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Matthew 6:2

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

KJV

ὅταν οὖν ποιῇς ἐλεημοσύνην, μὴ σαλπίσῃς ἔμπροσθέν σου, ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ ποιοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ ἐν ταῖς ῥύμαις, ὅπως δοξασθῶσιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν.

Greek NT

Cum ergo facis eleemosynam, noli tuba canere ante te, sicut hypocritæ faciunt in synagogis, et in vicis, ut honorificentur ab hominibus. Amen dico vobis, receperunt mercedem suam.

Vulgate

When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

ASV

Therefore when thou dost an alms-deed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

25 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
δοξάζω
doxazo
verb · 61×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
μή
me
particle · 1033×
μισθός
misthos
noun · 29×
οὖν
oun
conjunction · 489×
ποιέω
poieo
verb · 569×
σαλπίζω
salpizo
verb · 12×
συναγωγή
sunagoge
noun · 56×
σύ
su
pronoun · 1071×
ἀμήν
amen
hebrew_word · 124×
ἀπέχω
apecho
verb · 18×
ἄνθρωπος
anthropos
noun · 549×
ἐλεημοσύνη
eleemosune
noun · 13×
ἐν
en
preposition · 2743×
ἔμπροσθεν
emprosthen
adverb · 48×
o
article · 19778×
ὅπως
opos
adverb · 53×
ὅταν
otan
conjunction · 123×
ὑμεῖς
umeis
pronoun · 1828×
ὑποκριτής
upokrites
noun · 17×
ὑπό
upo
preposition · 221×
ὥσπερ
osper
adverb · 36×
ῥύμη
rume
noun · 4×

Historic Christian voices

10 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§1063In the book of the prophet Isaiah, we find the expression "God of truth" (literally "God of the Amen"), that is, the God who is faithful to his promises: "He who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth [amen]."645 Our Lord often used the word "Amen," sometimes repeated,646 to emphasize the trustworthiness of his teaching, his authority founded on God…
§1430Jesus' call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, "sackcloth and ashes," fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance.23
§1434The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving,31 which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others. Alongside the radical purification brought about by Baptism or martyrdom they cite as means of obtaining forgiveness of sins: effort …
…and 2 more from this source.
2. And when He had said, not to do it before men, He added, to be seen of them. And though it seems as if the same thing were said a second time, yet if any one give particular attention, it is not the same thing, but one is different from the other; and it has great security, and unspeakable care and tenderness. For it may be, both that one doing alms before men may not do it …
Chapter 15.—Concerning the Temporal Reward Which God Granted to the Virtues of the Romans. Now, therefore, with regard to those to whom God did not purpose to give eternal life with His holy angels in His own celestial city, to the society of which that true piety which does not render the service of religion, which the Greeks call λατρεία, to any save the true God conducts, if…
Can a man merit anything from God? Without grace, can anyone merit eternal life? May anyone with grace merit eternal life condignly? Is it chiefly through the instrumentality of charity that grace is the principle of merit? May a man merit the first grace for himself? May he merit it for someone else? Can anyone merit restoration after sin? Can he merit for himself an increase …

Cross-references

  • 1John 3:17 — But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
  • 1Pet 4:11 — If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be p
  • 2Cor 9:6 — But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
  • Acts 9:36 — Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
  • Acts 10:2 — A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
  • Acts 10:4 — And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
  • Acts 10:31 — And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
  • Acts 24:17 — Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
  • Amos 4:5 — And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
  • Eph 4:28 — Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
  • Gal 2:10 — Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
  • Heb 13:16 — But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
  • Hos 8:1 — Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
  • Jas 2:15 — If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
  • John 5:41 — I receive not honour from men.
  • John 5:44 — How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
  • John 7:18 — He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
  • John 12:43 — For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
  • John 13:29 — For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
  • Luke 6:24 — But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
  • Luke 6:42 — Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the
  • Luke 16:15 — And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
  • Luke 20:46 — Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
  • Mark 12:39 — And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
  • Matt 6:5 — And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you,
  • Matt 6:5 — And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you,
  • Matt 6:16 — 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.
  • Matt 6:16 — 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.
  • Matt 18:3 — And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
  • Matt 20:14 — Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
  • Matt 23:13 — But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
  • Prov 19:17 — He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
  • Prov 20:6 — Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
  • Prov 20:6 — Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
  • Ps 37:21 — The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
  • Ps 112:9 — He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
  • Rom 12:8 — Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
  • Rom 12:8 — Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
  • Zech 7:5 — Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?