Matthew 6:2-4

6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, 1  do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues 2  and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, 3  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. 4 

1 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).

2 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

3 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

4 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).