Matthew 6:1-5

Pure-hearted Giving

6:1 “Be ¹  careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. ²  Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, ³  do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues ⁴  and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, ⁵  they have their reward. 6:3 But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 6:4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. ⁶ 

Private Prayer

6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues ⁷  and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.

Matthew 6:16

Proper Fasting

6:16 “When ⁸  you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive ⁹  so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, ¹⁰  they have their reward.

Matthew 23:5

23:5 They ¹¹  do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries ¹²  wide and their tassels ¹³  long.

Acts 9:36

Peter Raises Dorcas

9:36 Now in Joppa ¹⁴  there was a disciple named Tabitha (which in translation means ¹⁵  Dorcas). ¹⁶  She was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity. ¹⁷ 

Ephesians 2:10

2:10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. ¹⁸ 

Ephesians 2:1

New Life Individually

2:1 And although you were ¹⁹  dead ²⁰  in your transgressions and sins,

Ephesians 2:10

2:10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. ²¹ 

Ephesians 5:10

5:10 trying to learn ²²  what is pleasing to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25

5:25 Husbands, love your ²³  wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her

Ephesians 6:18

6:18 With every prayer and petition, pray ²⁴  at all times in the Spirit, and to this end ²⁵  be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.

Titus 2:7

2:7 showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,

Titus 2:14

2:14 He ²⁶  gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, ²⁷  who are eager to do good. ²⁸ 

Titus 3:4

3:4 ²⁹  But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,

Titus 3:7-8

3:7 And so, ³⁰  since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.” ³¹ 

Summary of the Letter

3:8 This saying ³²  is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, ³³  so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people.

Titus 3:14

3:14 Here is another way that our people ³⁴  can learn ³⁵  to engage in good works to meet pressing needs and so not be unfruitful.

Hebrews 10:24

10:24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, ³⁶ 

Hebrews 10:1

Concluding Exposition: Old and New Sacrifices Contrasted

10:1 For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship. ³⁷ 

Hebrews 2:12

2:12 saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers; ³⁸  in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.” ³⁹ 

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ⁴⁰  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ⁴¹ 

Hebrews 3:16

3:16 For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership? ⁴² 

[6:1]  ¹ tc ‡ Several mss (א L Z Θ Ë¹ 33 892 1241 1424 al) have δέ (de, “but, now”) at the beginning of this verse; the reading without δέ is supported by B D W 0250 ˹³ Ï lat. A decision is difficult, but apparently the conjunction was added by later scribes to indicate a transition in the thought-flow of the Sermon on the Mount. NA²⁷ has δέ in brackets, indicating reservations about its authenticity.

[6:1]  ² tn Grk “before people in order to be seen by them.”

[6:2]  ³ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today. The giving of alms was highly regarded in the ancient world (Deut 15:7-11).

[6:2]  ⁴ sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

[6:2]  ⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[6:4]  ⁶ tc L W Θ 0250 Ï it read ἐν τῷ φανερῷ (en tw fanerw, “openly”) at the end of this verse, giving a counterweight to what is done in secret. But this reading is suspect because of the obvious literary balance, because of detouring the point of the passage (the focus of vv. 1-4 is not on two kinds of public rewards but on human vs. divine approbation), and because of superior external testimony that lacks this reading (א B D Z Ë^1,13 33 al).

[6:5]  ⁷ sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

[6:16]  ⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[6:16]  ⁹ tn Here the term “disfigure” used in a number of translations was not used because it could convey to the modern reader the notion of 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.”

[6:16]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[23:5]  ¹¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:5]  ¹² sn Phylacteries were small leather cases containing OT scripture verses, worn on the arm and forehead by Jews, especially when praying. The custom was derived from such OT passages as Exod 13:9; 16; Deut 6:8; 11:18.

[23:5]  ¹³ tn The term κράσπεδον (kraspedon) in some contexts could refer to the outer fringe of the garment (possibly in Mark 6:56). This edge could have been plain or decorated. L&N 6.180 states, “In Mt 23:5 κράσπεδον denotes the tassels worn at the four corners of the outer garment (see 6.194).”

[9:36]  ¹⁴ sn Joppa was a seaport on the Philistine coast, in the same location as modern Jaffa. “Though Joppa never became a major seaport, it was of some importance as a logistical base and an outlet to the Mediterranean” (A. F. Rainey, ISBE 2:1118-19).

[9:36]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “which being translated is called.” In English this would normally be expressed “which is translated as” or “which in translation means.” The second option is given by L&N 33.145.

[9:36]  ¹⁶ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Dorcas is the Greek translation of the Aramaic name Tabitha. Dorcas in Greek means “gazelle” or “deer.”

[9:36]  ¹⁷ tn Or “and helping the poor.” Grk “She was full of good deeds and acts of charity which she was continually doing.” Since it is somewhat redundant in English to say “she was full of good deeds…which she was continually doing,” the translation has been simplified to “she was continually doing good deeds and acts of charity.” The imperfect verb ἐποίει (epoiei) has been translated as a progressive imperfect (“was continually doing”).

[2:10]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “so that we might walk in them” (or “by them”).

[2:1]  ¹⁹ tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.

[2:1]  ²⁰ sn Chapter 2 starts off with a participle, although you were dead, that is left dangling. The syntax in Greek for vv. 1-3 constitutes one incomplete sentence, though it seems to have been done intentionally. The dangling participle leaves the readers in suspense while they wait for the solution (in v. 4) to their spiritual dilemma.

[2:10]  ²¹ tn Grk “so that we might walk in them” (or “by them”).

[5:10]  ²² tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκιμάζω 1 translates δοκιμάζοντες (dokimazonte") in Eph 5:10 as “try to learn.”

[5:25]  ²³ tn The Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[6:18]  ²⁴ tn Both “pray” and “be alert” are participles in the Greek text (“praying…being alert”). Both are probably instrumental, loosely connected with all of the preceding instructions. As such, they are not additional commands to do but instead are the means through which the prior instructions are accomplished.

[6:18]  ²⁵ tn Grk “and toward it.”

[2:14]  ²⁶ tn Grk “who” (as a continuation of the previous clause).

[2:14]  ²⁷ tn Or “a people who are his very own.”

[2:14]  ²⁸ tn Grk “for good works.”

[3:4]  ²⁹ tn Verses 4-7 are set as poetry in NA²⁶/NA²⁷. These verses probably constitute the referent of the expression “this saying” in v. 8.

[3:7]  ³⁰ tn This is the conclusion of a single, skillfully composed sentence in Greek encompassing Titus 3:4-7. Showing the goal of God’s merciful salvation, v. 7 begins literally, “in order that, being justified…we might become heirs…”

[3:7]  ³¹ tn Grk “heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

[3:8]  ³² sn This saying (Grk “the saying”) refers to the preceding citation (Titus 3:4-7). See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11 for other occurrences of this phrase.

[3:8]  ³³ tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[3:14]  ³⁴ tn Grk “that those who are ours” (referring to the Christians).

[3:14]  ³⁵ tn Grk “and also let our people learn.”

[10:24]  ³⁶ tn Grk “let us consider one another for provoking of love and good deeds.”

[10:1]  ³⁷ tn Grk “those who approach.”

[2:12]  ³⁸ tn Here, because of its occurrence in an OT quotation, τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς (tois adelfois) has been translated simply as “brothers” rather than “brothers and sisters” (see the note on the latter phrase in the previous verse).

[2:12]  ³⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 22:22.

[3:1]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[3:16]  ⁴² tn Grk “through Moses.”