The Sermon on the Mount: How to Pray

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to stand and[a] pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, in order that they may be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full! But whenever you pray, enter into your inner room and shut your door and[b] pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“But when you[c] pray, do not babble repetitiously like the pagans, for they think that because of their many words they will be heard. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need[d] before you ask him. Therefore you pray in this way:

“Our Father who is in heaven,
may your name be treated as holy.
10 May your kingdom come,
may your will be done
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.[e]

14 For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“stand”) has been translated as a finite verb
  2. Matthew 6:6 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“shut”) has been translated as a finite verb
  3. Matthew 6:7 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“pray”) which is understood as temporal
  4. Matthew 6:8 Literally “of what you have need”
  5. Matthew 6:13 Or “evil”; most later Greek manuscripts add the phrase “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen”

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. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,(C) who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling(D) like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.(E) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need(F) before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father(G) in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom(H) come,
your will be done,(I)
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.(J)
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.(K)
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a](L)
    but deliver us from the evil one.[b](M)

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.(N) 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:13 The Greek for temptation can also mean testing.
  2. Matthew 6:13 Or from evil; some late manuscripts one, / for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.