2 Corinthians 2:17

2:17 For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, ¹  but we are speaking in Christ before ²  God as persons of sincerity, ³  as persons sent from God.

2 Corinthians 5:9-11

5:9 So then whether we are alive ⁴  or away, we make it our ambition to please him. ⁵  5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, ⁶  so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. ⁷ 

The Message of Reconciliation

5:11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, ⁸  we try to persuade ⁹  people, ¹⁰  but we are well known ¹¹  to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.

Matthew 5:16

5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:1

Pure-hearted Giving

6:1 “Be ¹²  careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. ¹³  Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:4

6:4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. ¹⁴ 

Matthew 23:5

23:5 They ¹⁵  do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries ¹⁶  wide and their tassels ¹⁷  long.

Matthew 23:1

Seven Woes

23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,

Matthew 5:22

5:22 But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother ¹⁸  will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults ¹⁹  a brother will be brought before ²⁰  the council, ²¹  and whoever says ‘Fool’ ²²  will be sent ²³  to fiery hell. ²⁴ 

[2:17]  ¹ tn The participle καπηλεύοντες (kaphleuonte") refers to those engaged in retail business, but with the negative connotations of deceptiveness and greed – “to peddle for profit,” “to huckster” (L&N 57.202). In the translation a noun form (“hucksters”) has been used in combination with the English verb “peddle…for profit” to convey the negative connotations of this term.

[2:17]  ² tn Or “in the presence of.”

[2:17]  ³ tn Or “persons of pure motives.”

[5:9]  ⁴ tn Grk “whether we are at home” [in the body]; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).

[5:9]  ⁵ tn Grk “to be pleasing to him.”

[5:10]  ⁶ sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a common item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. Use of the term in reference to Christ’s judgment would be familiar to Paul’s 1st century readers.

[5:10]  ⁷ tn Or “whether good or bad.”

[5:11]  ⁸ tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.”

[5:11]  ⁹ tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peiqomen) has been translated as a conative present.

[5:11]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached).

[5:11]  ¹¹ tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.”

[6:1]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ tn Grk “before people in order to be seen by them.”

[6:4]  ¹⁴ 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).

[23:5]  ¹⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:5]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ 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).”

[5:22]  ¹⁸ tc The majority of mss read the word εἰκῇ (eikh, “without cause”) here after “brother.” This insertion has support from א² D L W Θ 0233 Ë^1,13 33 Ï it sy co Ir^lat Or^mss Cyp Cyr. Thus the Western, Caesarean, and Byzantine texttypes all include the word, while the best Alexandrian and some other witnesses (Ì⁶⁴ א* B 1424^mg pc aur vg Or Hier^mss) lack it. The ms evidence favors its exclusion, though there is a remote possibility that εἰκῇ could have been accidentally omitted from these witnesses by way of homoioarcton (the next word, ἔνοχος [enocos, “guilty”], begins with the same letter). An intentional change would likely arise from the desire to qualify “angry,” especially in light of the absolute tone of Jesus’ words. While “without cause” makes good practical sense in this context, and must surely be a true interpretation of Jesus’ meaning (cf. Mark 3:5), it does not commend itself as original.

[5:22]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “whoever says to his brother ‘Raca,’” an Aramaic word of contempt or abuse meaning “fool” or “empty head.”

[5:22]  ²⁰ tn Grk “subjected,” “guilty,” “liable.”

[5:22]  ²¹ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin.”

[5:22]  ²² tn The meaning of the term μωρός (mwros) is somewhat disputed. Most take it to mean, following the Syriac versions, “you fool,” although some have argued that it represents a transliteration into Greek of the Hebrew term מוֹרֵה (moreh) “rebel” (Deut 21:18, 20; cf. BDAG 663 s.v. μωρός c).

[5:22]  ²³ tn Grk “subjected,” “guilty,” “liable.”

[5:22]  ²⁴ tn Grk “the Gehenna of fire.”