⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, ⁶ and said: “O Lord God of our fathers, are You not ^(A)God in heaven, and ^(B)do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and ^(C)in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? ⁷ Are You not ^(D)our God, who ^(E)drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham ^(F)Your friend forever? ⁸ And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ^9 (G)‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your ^(H)name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ ¹⁰ And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir—whom You ^(I)would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but ^(J)they turned from them and did not destroy them— ¹¹ here they are, rewarding us ^(K)by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. ¹² O our God, will You not ^(L)judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but ^(M)our eyes are upon You.”

The Model Prayer^(A)

⁵ “And when you pray, you shall not be like the ^[a]hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But you, when you pray, ^(B)go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ^[b]openly. ⁷ And when you pray, ^(C)do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. ^(D)For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

⁸ “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father ^(E)knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. ⁹ In this ^(F)manner, therefore, pray:

^14 (O)“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But ^(P)if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

²² So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. ²³ For ^(A)assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴ Therefore I say to you, ^(B)whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Forgiveness and Prayer^(C)

²⁵ “And whenever you stand praying, ^(D)if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ Also He spoke this parable to some ^(A)who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee ^(B)stood and prayed thus with himself, ^(C)‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ ¹³ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; ^(D)for everyone who exalts himself will be ^[a]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

^6 (A)Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with ^(B)thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and ^(C)the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.