Matthew 6:3

3 te autem faciente elemosynam nesciat sinistra tua quid faciat dextera tua

Matthew 6:3 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 6:3

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 ^F16, that

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

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Piske Tosephot in Sabbat. c. 1. art. 134.

Matthew 6:3 In-Context

1 adtendite ne iustitiam vestram faciatis coram hominibus ut videamini ab eis alioquin mercedem non habebitis apud Patrem vestrum qui in caelis est

2 cum ergo facies elemosynam noli tuba canere ante te sicut hypocritae faciunt in synagogis et in vicis ut honorificentur ab hominibus amen dico vobis receperunt mercedem suam

3 te autem faciente elemosynam nesciat sinistra tua quid faciat dextera tua

4 ut sit elemosyna tua in abscondito et Pater tuus qui videt in abscondito reddet tibi

5 et cum oratis non eritis sicut hypocritae qui amant in synagogis et in angulis platearum stantes orare ut videantur ab hominibus amen dico vobis receperunt mercedem suam