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 thou dost make a release,
For I deliver the afflicted who is crying, And the fatherless who hath no helper.
He hath scattered -- hath given to the needy, His righteousness is standing for ever, His horn is exalted with honour.
Whoso is despising his neighbour sinneth, Whoso is favouring the humble, O his happiness.
Whoso is lending to Jehovah is favouring the poor, And his deed He repayeth to him.
Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.
'Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and thy sins by righteousness break off, and thy perversity by pitying the poor, lo, it is a lengthening of thine ease.
Take heed your kindness not to do before men, to be seen by them, and if not -- reward ye have not from your Father who is in the heavens;
Take heed your kindness not to do before men, to be seen by them, and if not -- reward ye have not from your Father who is in the heavens; whenever, therefore, thou mayest do kindness, thou mayest not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory from men; verily I say to you -- they have their reward! read more. 'But thou, doing kindness, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth, that thy kindness may be in secret, and thy Father who is seeing in secret Himself shall reward thee manifestly.
for I did hunger, and ye gave me to eat; I did thirst, and ye gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and ye received me;
for whoever may give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because ye are Christ's, verily I say to you, he may not lose his reward;
who, having seen Peter and John about to go into the temple, was begging to receive a kindness.
and of the multitude of those who did believe the heart and the soul was one, and not one was saying that anything of the things he had was his own, but all things were to them in common.
for there was not any one among them who did lack, for as many as were possessors of fields, or houses, selling them, were bringing the prices of the thing sold,
And in these days, the disciples multiplying, there came a murmuring of the Hellenists at the Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily ministration,
all things I did shew you, that, thus labouring, it behoveth us to partake with the ailing, to be mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
And concerning the collection that is for the saints, as I directed to the assemblies of Galatia, so also ye -- do ye;
For, indeed, concerning the ministration that is for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you,