“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
6:1 In the foregoing chapter our Lord particularly described the nature of inward holiness. In this he describes that purity of intention without which none of our outward actions are holy. This chapter contains four parts, The right intention and manner of giving alms, ver.1 - 4. The right intention, manner, form, and prerequisites of prayer, ver.5 - 15. The right intention, and manner of fasting, ver.16 - 18. The necessity of a pure intention in all things, unmixed either with the desire of riches, or worldly care, and fear of want, ver.19 - 34. This verse is a general caution against vain glory, in any of our good works: All these are here summed up together, in the comprehensive word righteousness. This general caution our Lord applies in the sequel to the three principal branches of it, relating to our neighbour, ver.2 - 4: to God, ver.5, 6: and to ourselves, ver.16 - 18. To be seen - Barely the being seen, while we are doing any of these things, is a circumstance purely indifferent. But the doing them with this view, to be seen and admired, this is what our Lord condemns.
Mt 6:1 The Sermon on the Mount (cont'd) SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 6: The Right and Wrong Way of Righteousness. Charity Not for Show. Our Alms-Giving Not to Be Sounded with a Trumpet. Prayer Not to Be Offered for Public Praise. The Model Prayer. Fasting to Be in Secret. Impossible to Serve God and Mammon. Trust in the Heavenly Father. The First Aim of Life. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen. The Common Version is wrong in using the word "alms", and the Revised Version right, in using "righteousness". The Savior condemns ostentatious piety, and then he singles out three illustrations of his meaning. The Christian is not forbidden to practice righteousness before men, but to make it his object to be seen.
Take heed that yee doe not your almes before men, to bee seene of them: otherwise yee haue no reward of your father which is in heauen.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
- New American Standard Version (1995)
Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
- American Standard Version (1901)
Take care not to do your good works before men, to be seen by them; or you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
- Basic English Bible
Take heed not to do your alms before men to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens.
- Darby Bible
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen by them: otherwise ye have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
- Webster's Bible
But beware of doing your good actions in the sight of men, in order to attract their gaze; if you do, there is no reward for you with your Father who is in Heaven.
- Weymouth Bible
Be careful that you don't do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
- World English Bible
Takith hede, that ye do not youre riytwisnesse bifor men, to be seyn of hem, ellis ye schulen haue no meede at youre fadir that is in heuenes.
- Wycliffe Bible
`Take heed your kindness not to do before men, to be seen by them, and if not -- reward ye have not from your Father who [is] in the heavens;
- Youngs Literal Bible