Matthew 5:43-6:18

New King James Version

Love Your Enemies^(A)

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ^(B)‘You shall love your neighbor ^(C)and hate your enemy.’ ^44 [a]But I say to you, ^(D)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, ^(E)do good to those who hate you, and pray ^(F)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for ^(G)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ^46 (H)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your ^[b]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the ^[c]tax collectors do so? ^48 (I)Therefore you shall be perfect, just ^(J)as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Do Good to Please God

6 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² Therefore, ^(K)when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret ^(L)will Himself reward you ^[d]openly.

The Model Prayer^(M)

⁵ “And when you pray, you shall not be like the ^[e]hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But you, when you pray, ^(N)go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ^[f]openly. ⁷ And when you pray, ^(O)do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. ^(P)For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

⁸ “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father ^(Q)knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. ⁹ In this ^(R)manner, therefore, pray:

^14 (AA)“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But ^(AB)if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

¹⁶ “Moreover, ^(AC)when you fast, do not be like the ^[h]hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, ^(AD)anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ^[i]openly.