Charity
ἐλεημοσύνηStrong’s G1654eleēmosunē
Appears in 13 verses of the New Testament
In short
Eleēmosunē is the Greek word usually translated “alms”, “acts of charity” and “charity”. It appears in 13 verses of the New Testament.
“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound 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 their reward.”
Meaning
Usually translated “alms”, “acts of charity” and “charity”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- alms 9
- acts of charity 1
- charity 1
- giving 1
- of alms 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Acts 8
- Matthew 3
- Luke 2
3 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- Matthew 6:3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
- Matthew 6:4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
- Luke 11:41But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
- Luke 12:33Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
- Acts 3:2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
- Acts 3:3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
Greek dictionary
ἐλεημοσύνη eleēmosunē · charity
ἐλεημοσύνη, -ης, ἡ (ἐλεέω), [in LXX chiefly for חֶסֶד, צְדָקָה ;] 1. mercy, pity. 2. almsgiving, alms (like the German Almosen, a corruption of the Greek word ἐ): Mat.6:4; ποιεῖν ἐ., Mat.6:2-3, Act.9:36 10:2 24:17; ἐ. διδόναι, Luk.11:41 (cf. Mat.23:36; Dalman, Words, 62 f.) 12:33; αἰτεῖν, Act.3:2; λαβεῖν, Act.3:3; πρὸς (in order to ask) ἐ., Act.3:10; pl., Act.10:4, 31 (Cremer, 711).† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “charity” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
CHARITY, noun
- In a general sense, love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good.
- In a more particular sense, love, kindness, affection, tenderness, springing from natural relations; as the charities of father, son and brother.
- Liberality to the poor, consisting in almsgiving or benefactions, or in gratuitous services to relieve them in distress.
- Alms; whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the poor for their relief.
All definitions
- Liberality in gifts and services to promote public objects of utility, as to found and support bible societies, missionary societies, and others.
- Candor; liberality in judging of men and their actions; a disposition which inclines men to think and judge favorably, and to put the best construction on words and actions which the case will admit.
- Any act of kindness, or benevolence; as the charities of life.
- A charitable institution.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.