# Need help finding a Bible quote or passage on showing off **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565 "2004-11-08T00:45:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teemingONE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@teemingONE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teemingONE)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/1 "2004-11-08T00:45:56Z")
Sorry for being so vague. I can’t seem to remeber this one Bible quote or passage about doing things just because they’re the right things to do, not for the praise and such you’ll get for doing them. There might be a couple different quotes or passages on the subject and I can’t remember exactly what I’m looking for. Any help would be greatly appreciated ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/2 "2004-11-08T00:52:25Z")
> [@teemingONE](#): > > Sorry for being so vague. > > I can’t seem to remeber this one Bible quote or passage about doing things just because they’re the right things to do, not for the praise and such you’ll get for doing them. There might be a couple different quotes or passages on the subject and I can’t remember exactly what I’m looking for. Any help would be greatly appreciated I can’t give you a quote, but maybe can help others point you in the right direction. There is a story in the gospels with Jesus admonishing not to pray loudly and in public but behind closed doors ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/3 "2004-11-08T00:52:58Z")
Mr. Kangaroo says to look in Proverbs. He’s not sure, but that’s where he thinks it is. Hopefully someone will be along soon to give you a finer point on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/4 "2004-11-08T00:57:55Z")
go [here](http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.html#search) for help ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/5 "2004-11-08T01:04:10Z")
Matthew Chapter 6. > [@](#): > > [sup]1[/sup]"Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. > [sup]2[/sup]"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. [sup]3[/sup]But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [sup]4[/sup]so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. [sup]5[/sup]"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. [sup]6[/sup]But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. > [@](#): > > [sup]16[/sup]"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. [sup]17[/sup]But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, [sup]18[/sup]so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. [From here](http://bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=MATT+6&language=english&version=NIV&showfn=on&showxref=on) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/6 "2004-11-08T01:07:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by [The KJV of the Bible - Matthew 6:4-6](http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?passage=MATT+6:4-6&language=english&version=KJV&showfn=on&showxref=on) > \*That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. > > And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. > > But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.\* I like the Bible Gateway, an excellent database. ---
**Author:** ![teemingONE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@teemingONE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teemingONE)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/7 "2004-11-08T01:42:09Z")
These weren’t the ones I was looking for, but they’ll do, thanks guys. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-a-bible-quote-or-passage-on-showing-off/273565/8 "2004-11-08T02:08:11Z")
A man I once worked with, a (Egyptian) Muslim, would look for a out-of-the-way place to say his daily prayers. I asked him if he was embarrassed and he said no, of course not, but the Koran advised that it’s better to pray alone or with others who are also praying so as to not show off. Something like that, anyway. Amazing, huh, the parallels? Salaam, mangeorge