Concerning Almsgiving

6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.^(A)

⁵ They do all their deeds to be seen by others, for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.^(A)

⁴³ for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.

¹⁰ For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the^[a] love that you showed for his sake^[b] in serving the saints, as you still do.^(A)

²⁸ So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

¹⁵ So he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts, for what is prized by humans is an abomination in the sight of God.^(A)

¹² It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who try to compel you to be circumcised—only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.^(A)

⁴ so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[a](A)

Concerning Prayer

⁵ “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.^{(B) 6} But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[b](C)

³¹ They come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not obey them. For flattery is on their lips, but their heart is set on their gain.^[a](A)

⁸ Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for but may receive a full reward.^(A)