God’s Word Translation
Matthew 6:1
1“Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.
Matthew 6:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
- New International Version (NIV)“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Context of Matthew 6:1
“Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you. 2So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it with trumpet fanfare. This is what hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets in order to be praised by people. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. 3When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Read all of Matthew 6Matthew 6:1 word by word
Προσέχετε δὲ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Take heed thatπροσέχωprosechō · to watch outG4337
- ye doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- notμήmē · notG3361
- yourσύsu · youG4771
- almsἐλεημοσύνηeleēmosunē · charityG1654
- beforeἔμπροσθενemprosthen · beforeG1715
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- be seenθεάομαιtheaomai · to look atG2300
- of themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- ·εἰei · if: elseG1487
- otherwiseδέde · thenG1161
- ye haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- ·οὐou · noG3756
- noεἰ δὲ μή(γε)ei de mē(ge) · but if not; otherwiseG1490
- rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408
- ofπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
Cross-references for Matthew 6:1
- Matthew 16:6Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
- Mark 8:15Jesus warned them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”
- Luke 11:35So be careful that the light in you isn’t darkness.
- Luke 12:1Meanwhile, thousands of people had gathered. They were so crowded that they stepped on each other. Jesus spoke to his disciples and said, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees. I’m talking about their hypocrisy.
- Hebrews 2:1For this reason we must pay closer attention to what we have heard. Then we won’t drift away ⌞from the truth⌟.
- Deuteronomy 24:13Make sure you bring it back to him at sunset. When he wears his coat to bed ⌞that night⌟, he’ll bless you. You will have done the right thing in the presence of the Lord your God.
- Psalms 112:9He gives freely to poor people. His righteousness continues forever. His head is raised in honor.
- Daniel 4:27“That is why, Your Majesty, my best advice is that you stop sinning, and do what is right. Stop committing the same errors, and have pity on the poor. Maybe you can prolong your prosperity.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:9Scripture says, “The person with God’s approval gives freely to the poor. The things he does with God’s approval continue forever.”
- Matthew 6:5“When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward.
- Matthew 5:16In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 23:5“They do everything to attract people’s attention. They make their headbands large and the tassels on their shawls long.
- 2 Kings 10:16Jehu said, “Come with me. See how devoted I am to the Lord.” So he had Jehonadab ride on his chariot.
- Ezekiel 33:31Then they come to you, as if they are still my people, and they sit down in front of you. They listen to what you say, but they don’t do it. They say that they love me, but in their hearts they chase dishonest profits.
- Zechariah 7:5“Tell all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months these past 70 years, did you really do it for me?
- Zechariah 13:4“On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He won’t deceive people by dressing ⌞like a prophet⌟ in a coat made of hair.
Commentaries on Matthew 6:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1That ye do not your alms - , perform not your acts of righteousness - such as alms-giving, fasting, and prayer, mentioned immediately after. Instead of , righteousness, or acts of righteousness, the reading in the text, that which has been commonly received is , alms. But the first reading has been inserted in several editions, and is supported by the Codd. Vatican and Bezae, some others, and several versions, all the Itala except one, and the Vulgate…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Take heed that ye do not your alms - The word “alms” here denotes liberality to the poor and needy. In the margin, as in the best editions of the Greek it is “righteousness;” either referring to almsgiving as eminently a righteous act, or more probably including all that is specified in this and the following verses - almsgiving, prayer, fasting, Galatians 2:10; James 1:27; Luke 19:8. Before men - Our Lord does not require us never to give alms before…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Against hypocrisy in almsgiving. (1-4) Against hypocrisy in prayer. (5-8) How to pray. (9-15) Respecting fasting. (16-18) Evil of being worldly-minded. (19-24) Trust in God commended. (25-34) Verses 1-4 Our Lord next warned against hypocrisy and outward show in religious duties. What we do, must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised of men. In these verses we are cautioned against hypocrisy in giving…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1This verse begins the teaching in Matthew 6:2–18. Jesus explains that righteousness (living in line with God’s will) should not be done for public recognition. It should be offered as service to God. Righteous acts are actions that follow God’s way of living. Examples include: giving gifts to those in need (6:2–4), praying (6:5–15), and fasting (6:16–18). Jesus encourages keeping these actions private to avoid seeking personal praise instead of honoring…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-18Sermon on the Mount--continued. General Caution against Ostentation in Religious Duties (Mt 6:1). 1. Take heed that ye do not your alms--But the true reading seems clearly to be "your righteousness." The external authority for both readings is pretty nearly equal; but internal evidence is decidedly in favor of "righteousness." The subject of the second verse being "almsgiving" that word--so like the other in Greek--might easily be substituted for it by…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 6:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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