6:32 “If 1 you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners 2 love those who love them. 3 6:33 And 4 if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 5 sinners 6 do the same. 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, 7 what credit is that to you? Even sinners 8 lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. 9 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. 10 Then 11 your reward will be great, and you will be sons 12 of the Most High, 13 because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. 14 6:36 Be merciful, 15 just as your Father is merciful.
6:1 “Be 20 careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. 21 Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, 22 do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues 23 and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, 24 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. 25
6:16 “When 26 you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive 27 so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, 28 they have their reward. 6:17 When 29 you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 6:18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
1 tn Grk “And if.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. This is a first class condition, but the next two conditional clauses are third class conditions, so that stylistic variation is probably at work.
2 sn Here the term sinners may refer to people who had no concern for observing the details of the Mosaic law; these were often treated as social outcasts. See L&N 88.295.
3 sn Jesus’ point in the statement even sinners love those who love them is that disciples are to go farther than sinners do. The examples replay vv. 29-30.
4 tc ‡ Three key
5 tc Most
6 sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.
7 tn Grk “to receive”; but in context the repayment of the amount lent is implied. Jesus was noting that utilitarian motives are the way of the world.
8 sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.
9 tn Grk “to receive as much again.”
10 tn Or “in return.”
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
12 sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.
13 sn That is, “sons of God.”
14 tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
15 sn Merciful is a characteristic of God often noted in the OT: Exod 34:6; Deut 4:31; Joel 2:31; Jonah 4:2; 2 Sam 24:14. This remark also echoes the more common OT statements like Lev 19:2 or Deut 18:13: “you must be holy as I am holy.”
16 tn The seventh month apparently refers to the anniversary of the assassination of Gedaliah, governor of Judah (Jer 40:13-14; 41:1), in approximately 581
17 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
18 sn The Shephelah is the geographical region between the Mediterranean coastal plain and the Judean hill country. The Hebrew term can be translated “lowlands” (cf. ASV), “foothills” (NAB, NASB, NLT), or “steppes.”
19 sn The tax collectors would bid to collect taxes for the Roman government and then add a surcharge, which they kept. Since tax collectors worked for Rome, they were viewed as traitors to their own people and were not well liked.
20 tc ‡ Several
21 tn Grk “before people in order to be seen by them.”
22 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).
23 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
24 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
25 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 Ë1,13 33 al).
26 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
27 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.”
28 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
29 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.