Matius 6:2

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.

Matius 6:5-6

Private Prayer

6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues ⁴  and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. 6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your room, ⁵  close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. ⁶ 

Matius 17:4

17:4 So ⁷  Peter said ⁸  to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make ⁹  three shelters ¹⁰  – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

[6:2]  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).

[6:2]  ² sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

[6:2]  ³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[6:5]  ⁴ sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

[6:6]  ⁵ sn The term translated room refers to the inner room of a house, normally without any windows opening outside, the most private location possible (BDAG 988 s.v. ταμεῖον 2).

[6:6]  ⁶ tc See the tc note on “will reward you” in 6:4: The problem is the same and the ms support differs only slightly.

[17:4]  ⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the appearance of Moses and Elijah prompted Peter’s comment.

[17:4]  ⁸ tn Grk “Peter answering said.” This construction is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[17:4]  ⁹ tc Instead of the singular future indicative ποιήσω (poihsw, “I will make”), most witnesses (C³ D L W Θ [Φ] 0281 Ë^[1],13 33 Ï lat sy co) have the plural aorist subjunctive ποιήσωμεν (poihswmen, “let us make”). But since ποιήσωμεν is the reading found in the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke, it is almost surely a motivated reading. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, as well as a few others (א B C* 700 pc) have ποιήσω. It is thus more likely that the singular verb is authentic.

[17:4]  ¹⁰ tn Or “booths,” “dwellings” (referring to the temporary booths constructed in the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles).

[17:4]  sn Peter apparently wanted to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles or Booths that looked forward to the end and wanted to treat Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as equals by making three shelters (one for each). It was actually a way of expressing honor to Jesus, but the next verse makes it clear that it was not enough honor.