Acts 4:34-35

4:34 For there was no one needy ¹  among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling ²  them ³  and bringing the proceeds from the sales 4:35 and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds ⁴  were distributed to each, as anyone had need.

Acts 4:37

4:37 sold ⁵  a field ⁶  that belonged to him and brought the money ⁷  and placed it at the apostles’ feet.

Matthew 6:2-3

6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, ⁸  do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues ⁹  and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, ¹⁰  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,

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.

Philippians 2:3

2:3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition ¹⁴  or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

¹ tn Or “poor.”

² tn Grk “houses, selling them were bringing.” The participle πωλοῦντες (pwlounte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

³ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

⁴ tn Grk “It” (or “They,” plural). The referent of the understood pronoun subject, the proceeds from the sales, of the verb διεδίδετο (diedideto) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁵ tn Grk “selling a field that belonged to him, brought” The participle πωλήσας (pwlhsa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁶ tn Or “a farm.”

⁷ tn Normally a reference to actual coins (“currency”). See L&N 6.68.

⁸ 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).

⁹ sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

¹⁰ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

¹¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

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.

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).”

¹⁴ tn Grk “not according to selfish ambition.” There is no main verb in this verse; the subjunctive φρονῆτε (fronhte, “be of the same mind”) is implied here as well. Thus, although most translations supply the verb “do” at the beginning of v. 3 (e.g., “do nothing from selfish ambition”), the idea is even stronger than that: “Don’t even think any thoughts motivated by selfish ambition.”