¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried^(A) out to the Lord. ¹¹ They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?^(B) What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”^(C)

¹³ Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.^(D) Stand firm and you will see^(E) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see^(F) again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight^(G) for you; you need only to be still.”^(H)

Further Instructions

² Devote yourselves to prayer,^(A) being watchful and thankful. ³ And pray for us, too, that God may open a door^(B) for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery^(C) of Christ, for which I am in chains.^{(D) 4} Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. ⁵ Be wise^(E) in the way you act toward outsiders;^(F) make the most of every opportunity.^{(G) 6} Let your conversation be always full of grace,^(H) seasoned with salt,^(I) so that you may know how to answer everyone.^(J)

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer^(A)(B)

11 One day Jesus was praying^(C) in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord,^(D) teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.^(H)

⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you;^(I) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”