¹⁶ “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea^(A) or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen^(B) to you.

¹⁴ “Do not pray^(A) for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen^(B) when they call to me in the time of their distress.

¹¹ Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray^(A) for the well-being of this people. ¹² Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry;^(B) though they offer burnt offerings^(C) and grain offerings,^(D) I will not accept^(E) them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword,^(F) famine^(G) and plague.”^(H)

Prayer^(A)

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing^(B) in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,^(C) who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling^(D) like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.^{(E) 8} Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need^(F) before you ask him.