Deuteronomy 15:11

15:11 There will never cease to be some poor people in the land; therefore, I am commanding you to make sure you open ¹  your hand to your fellow Israelites ²  who are needy and poor in your land.

Deuteronomy 15:14

15:14 You must supply them generously ³  from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress – as the Lord your God has blessed you, you must give to them.

Nehemiah 8:10

8:10 He said to them, “Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. ⁴  Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Luke 11:41

11:41 But give from your heart to those in need, ⁵  and ⁶  then everything will be clean for you. ⁷ 

John 13:29

13:29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him to buy whatever they needed for the feast, ⁸  or to give something to the poor.) ⁹ 

Acts 4:32

Conditions Among the Early Believers

4:32 The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, ¹⁰  and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. ¹¹ 

¹ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “make sure.”

² tn Heb “your brother.”

³ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “generously.”

⁴ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

⁵ tn Grk “Give the things inside as alms.” Three different approaches have been taken to the syntax and meaning of this phrase: (1) τὰ ἐνόντα (ta enonta, “the things inside”) is an accusative of respect (“give alms with respect to the things inside”); (2) τὰ ἐνόντα is an adverbial accusative (“give alms inwardly,” i.e., from the heart); (3) the word translated “alms” represents a mistranslation of the original Aramaic term “cleanse,” so the statement urges the hearers to “cleanse the things inside.” According to D. L. Bock (Luke [BECNT], 2:1115) the latter meaning is unlikely because the present verse is independent of Matt 23:26, not parallel to it, and makes good sense as it stands.

⁶ tn Grk “and behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this clause has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

⁷ sn The expression everything will be clean for you refers to the agreement that should exist between the overt practice of one’s religious duties, such as almsgiving, and the inner condition of one’s heart, including true love for God and the poor; one is not only to wash the outside of the cup and plate, but the inside as well, since as Jesus said, God created the inside too. Religious duties are not to be performed hypocritically, i.e., for the applause and esteem of people, but rather they are to be done out of a deep love for God and a sensitivity to and concern for the needs of others. Then, everything will be clean, both hearts and lives.

⁸ tn Grk “telling him, ‘Buy whatever we need for the feast.’” The first clause is direct discourse and the second clause indirect discourse. For smoothness of English style, the first clause has been converted to indirect discourse to parallel the second (the meaning is left unchanged).

⁹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

¹⁰ tn Grk “soul.”

¹¹ tn Grk “but all things were to them in common.”