Reference: Alms, Almsgiving
Hastings
An alms' (Ac 3:3) is something freely given, in money or in kind, to the needy, from motives of love and pity for the recipient, and of gratitude to the Giver of all. Hence what is given or paid to the poor under the authority and compulsion of law, as the modern poor rate, is not alms. For such legal provision in OT times see Poor. Much might be of the humane spirit which pervades the whole of the Hebrew legislation, and in particular the legislation of Dt, of which, in this respect, De 15:1 may be taken as the epitome: 'Thou shalt surely open thine hand unto thy brother, to thy needy and to thy poor' (RV). The writings of the prophets, also, are full of generous advocacy of the rights of the poor. In the later pre-Christian centuries almsgiving became one of the most prominent of religious duties (Ps 112:9; Pr 14:21; 19:17; 31:20; Job 29:12 f.). The sentiment of the 2nd cent. b.c.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
At the end of seven years, shalt thou make a release.
Because I used to deliver the oppressed who was crying out for aid, the fatherless also, and him that had no helper;
He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy, His righteousness, standeth for aye, His horn, shall be exalted in honour.
He that sheweth contempt for his neighbour, sinneth, but, he that sheweth favour to the afflicted, how happy is he!
A lender to Yahweh, is one who sheweth favour to the poor, and, his good deed, He will pay him back.
Her palm, she spreadeth out to the oppressed, and, her hands, she extendeth to the needy:
Wherefore, O king, let, my counsel, be pleasing unto thee, thy sin, then, - by righteousness, break thou off, and, thine iniquities, by shewing favour to the oppressed, - if so be it may become the lengthening out of thy security.
Buttake heed, that ye do not, your righteousness, before men, to be gazed at by them, - otherwise at least, reward, have ye none, with your Father who is in the heavens.
Buttake heed, that ye do not, your righteousness, before men, to be gazed at by them, - otherwise at least, reward, have ye none, with your Father who is in the heavens. When, therefore, thou mayest be doing an alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, just as, the hypocrites, do in the synagogues and in the streets - that they may be glorified by men, - Verily, I say unto you, they are getting back their reward. read more. But, thou, when doing an alms, let not, thy left hand, know what thy right hand is doing; that thine alms may be in secret, - and, thy Father, who seeth in secret, will give it back to thee.
For I hungered, and ye gave me to eat, I thirsted, and ye gave me drink, a stranger, was I, and ye took me home,
For, whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water, in name that, Christ's, ye are, Verily! I say unto you, in nowise, shall lose his reward.
Who, seeing Peter and John about to enter into the temple, was requesting to receive, an alms.
And, the throng of them that believed, had one heart and soul, and not so much as one was saying that, aught of his goods, was, his own, but they had all things common.
For there was not so much as anyone, lacking, among them; for, as many as were possessors of lands or houses, selling them, were bringing the prices of the things that were being sold,
But, in these days, the disciples, multiplying, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, in that, their widows, were being overlooked in the daily ministry.
In all things, I gave you to understand, that, thus toiling, it behoves to be helping the weak, also to be keeping in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, that, he himself, said - Happy is it, rather to give than to receive!
Now, concerning the collection which is for the saints, just as I directed the assemblies of Galatia, so, also do, ye: -
For, indeed, concerning the ministry which is for the saints, it is, superfluous for me, to be writing to you;