New English Translation
Matthew 6:1
1“Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.
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 display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 2Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward. 3But when you do your giving, do not 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 16:6“Watch out,” Jesus said to them, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
- Mark 8:15And Jesus ordered them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”
- Luke 11:35Therefore see to it that the light in you is not darkness.
- Luke 12:1Meanwhile, when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
- Hebrews 2:1Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
- Deuteronomy 24:13You must by all means return to him at sunset the item he gave you as security so that he may sleep in his outer garment and bless you for it; it will be considered a just deed by the Lord your God.
- Psalms 112:9He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He will be vindicated and honored.
- Daniel 4:27Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:9Just as it is written, “He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.”
- Matthew 6:5“Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
- Matthew 5:16In 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 23:5They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long.
- 2 Kings 10:16Jehu said, “Come with me and see how zealous I am for the Lord’s cause.” So he took him along in his chariot.
- Ezekiel 33:31They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people. They hear your words, but do not obey them. For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage.
- Zechariah 7:5“Speak to all the people and priests of the land as follows: ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh months through all these seventy years, did you truly fast for me – for me, indeed?
- Zechariah 13:4“Therefore, on that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies and will no longer wear the hairy garment of a prophet to deceive the people.
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
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