Matthew 6:2 (ASV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Matthew 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:2 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.

Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

Matthew 6:4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "thou", "doest", "alms", "sound", "trumpet", "before", and "thee". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "thou", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 1's "Take heed that ye do not your..." into verse 3's "But when thou doest alms let not...", so "therefore" and "thou" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "therefore" and "thou" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.