⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,^(A) who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.^(A) Later that night, he was there alone,

¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.^(A)

At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha^(A) opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary,^(B) who sat at the Lord’s feet^(C) listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care^(D) that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried^(E) and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a](F) Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king^(A) by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.^(B)