Matthew 6:3
◄  Matthew 6:3  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

New Living Translation (©2007)
But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

International Standard Version (©2012)
But when you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

NET Bible (©2006)
But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But you, whenever you do charity giving, let not your left know what your right is doing.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
When you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But when you give alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does:

American King James Version
But when you do alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does:

American Standard Version
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Douay-Rheims Bible
But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.

Darby Bible Translation
But thou, when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does;

English Revised Version
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Webster's Bible Translation
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Weymouth New Testament
But when you are giving in charity, let not your left hand perceive what your right hand is doing,

World English Bible
But when you do merciful deeds, don't let your left hand know what your right hand does,

Young's Literal Translation
'But thou, doing kindness, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:1-4 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.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - But when thou; "thou" emphatic. Let not thy left hand know, etc. So little effect should thy kind action have upon thy memory. There should be no self-consciousness in it.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But when thou dost alms,.... Do it so privately, and with so much secrecy, that, if it was possible, thou mightest not know it thyself, much less make it known to others:

let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth; acquaint not thy nearest and dearest friend with it; let not one that sits at thy left hand know what thou art doing with thy right hand; it is a proverbial and hyperbolical phrase, expressing the secrecy of the action. It is a Jewish canon (p), that

"he that gives a gift to his friend out of love, may make it known, , "but not if it be by way of alms".''

(p) Piske Tosephot in Sabbat. c. 1. art. 134.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth—So far from making a display of it, dwell not on it even in thine own thoughts, lest it minister to spiritual pride.

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Instruction about Giving
1Take heed that you do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise you have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2Therefore when you do your alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. 3But when you do alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does:

Matthew 6:2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew 6:4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.