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“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving[a] before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In praying, don’t use vain repetitions as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him. Pray like this:

“‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
10 Let your Kingdom come.
    Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts,
    as we also forgive our debtors.
13 Bring us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’[b]

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

19 “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. 25 Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?

27 “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment[c] to his lifespan? 28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, 29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?

31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 NU reads “acts of righteousness” instead of “charitable giving”
  2. 6:13 NU omits “For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.”
  3. 6:27 literally, cubit

How to Give

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness[a] in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward!(A) But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[b](B)

How to Pray

“Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward!(C) But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[c](D) When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters,[d] since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.(E) Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.(F)

The Model Prayer

“Therefore, you should pray like this:(G)

Our Father in heaven,
Your name be honored as holy.(H)
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.(I)
11 Give us today our daily bread.[e]
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.(J)
13 And do not bring us into[f] temptation,(K)
but deliver us from the evil one.[g](L)
[For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.][h]

14 “For if you forgive people their wrongdoing,[i] your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.(M) 15 But if you don’t forgive people,[j] your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing.[k]

How to Fast

16 “Whenever you fast, don’t be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive[l](N) so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward! 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face,(O) 18 so that you don’t show your fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[m]

God and Possessions

19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures[n] on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.(P) 20 But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven,(Q) where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness—how deep is that darkness!(R)

24 “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money.(S)

The Cure for Anxiety

25 “This is why I tell you:(T) Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?(U) 26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?(V) 27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height[o] by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith?(W) 31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters[p] eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God[q](X) and His righteousness,(Y) and all these things will be provided for you.(Z) 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble(AA) of its own.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:1 Other mss read charitable giving
  2. Matthew 6:4 Other mss read will Himself reward you openly
  3. Matthew 6:6 Other mss add openly
  4. Matthew 6:7 Or Gentiles, or nations, or heathen, or pagans
  5. Matthew 6:11 Or our necessary bread, or our bread for tomorrow
  6. Matthew 6:13 Or do not cause us to come into
  7. Matthew 6:13 Or from evil
  8. Matthew 6:13 Other mss omit bracketed text
  9. Matthew 6:14 Or trespasses
  10. Matthew 6:15 Other mss add their wrongdoing
  11. Matthew 6:15 Or trespasses
  12. Matthew 6:16 Or unrecognizable, or disfigured
  13. Matthew 6:18 Other mss add openly
  14. Matthew 6:19 Or valuables
  15. Matthew 6:27 Or add one moment to his life-span
  16. Matthew 6:32 Or Gentiles, or nations, or heathen, or pagans
  17. Matthew 6:33 Other mss omit of God