Prayer(A)

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing(B) in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

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“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

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10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray,(A) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself(B) and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

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13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast(A) and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’(B)

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25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”(A)

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Seek(A) the Lord while he may be found;(B)
    call(C) on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake(D) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.(E)
Let them turn(F) to the Lord, and he will have mercy(G) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.(H)

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12 Then you will call(A) on me and come and pray(B) to me, and I will listen(C) to you.

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15 When you spread out your hands(A) in prayer,
    I hide(B) my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
    I am not listening.(C)

Your hands(D) are full of blood!(E)

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47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

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Ask, Seek, Knock(A)

“Ask and it will be given to you;(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;(C) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

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But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:6 Prov. 3:34

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.(A)

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18 And pray in the Spirit(A) on all occasions(B) with all kinds of prayers and requests.(C) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying(D) for all the Lord’s people.

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43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.(A)

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10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward(A) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees(B) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.(C)

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15 And the prayer offered in faith(A) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins(B) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.(C) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.(D)

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22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for(A) in prayer.”

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17 Evening,(A) morning(B) and noon(C)
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.

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Hear my cry for help,(A)
    my King and my God,(B)
    for to you I pray.

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12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,(A) 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”(B)

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I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:(A)

“Lord, the great and awesome God,(B) who keeps his covenant of love(C) with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned(D) and done wrong.(E) We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away(F) from your commands and laws.(G) We have not listened(H) to your servants the prophets,(I) who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors,(J) and to all the people of the land.

“Lord, you are righteous,(K) but this day we are covered with shame(L)—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered(M) us because of our unfaithfulness(N) to you.(O) We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you.(P) The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving,(Q) even though we have rebelled against him;(R) 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.(S) 11 All Israel has transgressed(T) your law(U) and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses(V) and sworn judgments(W) written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned(X) against you. 12 You have fulfilled(Y) the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster.(Z) Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like(AA) what has been done to Jerusalem.(AB) 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord(AC) our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.(AD) 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster(AE) on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does;(AF) yet we have not obeyed him.(AG)

15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand(AH) and who made for yourself a name(AI) that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts,(AJ) turn away(AK) your anger and your wrath(AL) from Jerusalem,(AM) your city, your holy hill.(AN) Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn(AO) to all those around us.

17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor(AP) on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear,(AQ) our God, and hear;(AR) open your eyes and see(AS) the desolation of the city that bears your Name.(AT) We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.(AU) 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive!(AV) Lord, hear and act! For your sake,(AW) my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

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Further Instructions

Devote yourselves to prayer,(A) being watchful and thankful. 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)

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24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,(A) and your joy will be complete.(B)

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Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,

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