| Verse:
| Matthew 6.1 |
| Textus Receptus/Byzantine Text:
| Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them… (Mat 6:1 KJV) |
| Nestle Aland 27:
| “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them… (Mat 6:1 NAU) |
| Manuscript/Patristic Support:
| The Nestle-Aland Text reading of ‘righteousness’ is supported by the corrector of Codex Sinaiticus, by Codex Vaticanus, and by Codex Bezae. The Byzantine Text of ‘alms’ is supported by Origen in his Homily on this passage in the 3rd century (whose citation predates both Vaticanus and Sinaiticus by a century), and by Chrysostom in his Homily on this passage, in the 4th century.[ii] ‘Alms’ is also the universal reading of the Byzantine Text.
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| Doctrinal Difference | The Alexandrian Text makes Christ to contradict Himself. It makes Christ to forbid His disciples to practice works of righteousness before men, to be seen of them, when, in fact, He specifically told them in vs 16 of the previous chapter: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 Authorised Version). How can Christ command His disciples to let their light shine before men, that men may see their good works, and glorify their Father which is in heaven, and then, in the very next chapter, forbid them to do works of righteousness before men, that they be seen of men? Truth cannot contradict itself. But the Alexandrian Text makes Christ to contradict Himself, and thus, to speak untruth. The Alexandrian Text is plainly in error doctrinally. The Byzantine Text has the correct reading. It is our alms which we are to do in secret, not works of righteousness in general. Alms, along with our prayers, we are to do in secret, but works of righteousness in general we are always to do openly, letting our light shine before men, so that men would glorify our Father which is in heaven. |
Origen, ANF09, Commentary on Matthew, ‘First Book’, Chapter XV.
[ii] Chrysostom, NPNF110, The Homilies of St John Chrysostom, ‘Homily XIX on Matthew vi.1.
