Matthew 5:43-6:15

English Standard Version

Love Your Enemies

^43 (A)“You have heard that it was said, ^(B)‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, ^(C)Love your enemies and ^(D)pray for those who persecute you, ^45 (E)so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and ^(F)sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ^46 (G)For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers,^[a] what more are you doing than others? Do not even ^(H)the Gentiles do the same? ^48 (I)You therefore must be ^(J)perfect, ^(K)as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Giving to the Needy

6 “Beware of ^(L)practicing your righteousness before other people in order ^(M)to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

^2 (N)“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may ^(O)be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have ^(P)received their reward. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. ^(Q)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Lord's Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love ^(R)to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. ^(S)Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ⁶ But when you pray, ^(T)go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. ^(U)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

⁷ “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as ^(V)the Gentiles do, for ^(W)they think that they will be heard ^(X)for their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, ^(Y)for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ^9 (Z)Pray then like this:

^14 (AL)For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, ^15 (AM)but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.