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
"Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen by them, otherwise at least ye have no reward with your Father Who is in Heaven.
"Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen by them, otherwise at least ye have no reward with your Father Who is in Heaven. When, therefore, you are doing alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say to you, they receive their reward. read more. But, when you are doing alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your alms may be in secret; and your Father, Who seeth in secret, will recompense you.
for I hungered, and ye gave Me to eat; I thirsted, and ye gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took Me in;
For whosoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because ye are Christ's, verily I say to you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, was asking to receive an alms.
And the heart and soul of the multitude of those who believed were one; and not even one was saying that any of the things belonging to him was his own, but they had all things common.
For neither was any one among them in want; for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, selling them, were bringing the prices of the things sold,
Now in these days, when the disciples were being multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministration.
In all things I showed you that, thus laboring, ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the assemblies of Galatia, so also do ye.
For, respecting the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;