Matthew 6:2

Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

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WEBBE

Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

BSB

So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

KJV

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

ASV

When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.

BBE

When then you give money to the poor, do not make a noise about it, as the false-hearted men do in the Synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Truly, I say to you, They have their reward.

Original Greek

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Ὅταν Hotan When G3752 οὖν oun therefore G3767 ποιῇς poiēas you may do G4160 ἐλεημοσύνην eleēmosunēn acts of charity G1654 μὴ mē not G3361 σαλπίσῃς salpisēs may sound a trumpet G4537 ἔμπροσθέν emprosthen before G1715 σου sou you G4771 ὥσπερ hōsper as G5618 οἱ hoi the G3588 ὑποκριταὶ hupokritai hypocrites G5273 ποιοῦσιν poiousin do G4160 ἐν en in G1722 ταῖς tais the G3588 συναγωγαῖς sunagōgais synagogues G4864 καὶ kai and G2532 ἐν en in G1722 ταῖς tais the G3588 ῥύμαις rhumais streets G4505 ὅπως hopōs so that G3704 δοξασθῶσιν doxasthōsin they may have glory G1392 ὑπὸ hupo from G5259 τῶν tōn (the) G3588 ἀνθρώπων anthrōpōn men G444 ἀμὴν amēn Amen G281 λέγω legō I say G3004 ὑμῖν humin to you G4771 ἀπέχουσιν apechousin they have G568 τὸν ton the G3588 μισθὸν misthon reward G3408 αὐτῶν autōn of them G846

The early church

All 8
(Comm. in Tim. 4, 8.) The sum of all Christian discipline is comprehended in mercy and piety, for which reason He begins with almsgiving.
Ambrosiaster · d. 384Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Nor even at this did He stop, but proceeds yet further, by other motives also increasing their disgust. For as above He set forth publicans and heathens, by the quality of the person shaming their imitators, so also in this place the hypocrites. "Therefore when thou doest thine alms," saith He, "do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do." Not that they had trumpets, but He means to display the greatness of their frenzy, by the use of this figure of speech, deriding and making a show of them hereby. And well hath He called them "hypocrites" for the mask was of mercy, but the spirit of cruelty and inhumanity. For they do it, not because they pity their neighbors, but that they themselves may enjoy credit; and this came of the utmost cruelty; while another was perishing with hunger, to be seeking vainglory, and not putting an end to his suffering. It is not then the giving alms which is required, but the giving as one ought, the giving for such and such an end. Having then amply derided those men, and having handled them so, that the hearer should be even ashamed of them, He again corrects thoroughly the mind which is so distempered: and having said how we ought not to act, He signifies on the other hand how we ought to act.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Matthew
He who sounds a trumpet before him when he does alms is a hypocrite. Whence he adds, as the hypocrites do. A reward not of God, but of themselves, for they receive praise of men, for the sake of which it was that they practised their virtues.
Jerome · d. 420Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Serm. in Mont. ii. 2.) Above the Lord had spoken of righteousness in general. He now pursues it through its different parts. (ubi sup.) Thus what He says, Do not sound a trumpet before thee, refers to what He had said above, Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men. (ubi sup.) As then the hypocrites, (a word meaning 'one who feigns,') as personating the characters of other men, act parts which are not naturally their own—for he who personates Agamemnon, is not really Agamemnon, but feigns to be so—so likewise in the Churches, whosoever in his whole conduct desires to seem what he is not, is a hypocrite; he feigns himself righteous and is not really so, seeing his only motive is praise of men. (Serm. in Mont. ii. 2.) And such sinners receive from God the Searcher of hearts none other reward than punishment of their deceitfulness; Verily I say unto you, they have their reward, (ubi sup.) This refers to what He had said above, Otherwise ye shall have no reward of your Father which is in heaven; and He goes on to show them that they should not do their alms as the hypocrites, but teaches them how they should do them.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
The trumpet stands for every act or word that tends to a display of our works; for instance, to do alms if we know that some other person is looking on, or at the request of another, or to a person of such condition that he may make us return; and unless in such cases not to do them. Yea, even if in some secret place they are done with intent to be thought praiseworthy, then is the trumpet sounded.
Pseudo-Chrysostom · d. 500Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · 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 alms. Take heed of it. It is a subtle sin; and vain-glory creeps into what we do, before we are aware. But the duty is not the less necessary and excellent for being abused by hypocrites to serve their pride. The doom Christ passes, at first may seem a promise, but it is their reward; not the reward God promises to those who do good, but the reward hypocrites promise themselves, and a poor reward it is; they did it to be seen of men, and they are seen of men. When we take least notice of our good deeds ourselves, God takes most notice of them. He will reward thee; not as a master who gives his servant what he earns, and no more, but as a Father who gives abundantly to his son that serves him.

Read Matthew Henry on Matthew 6 →

Cross-references

53

Topics

HypocrisyTrumpetGlorySynagoguePharisees

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.