How to Give

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness^[a] in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven. ² 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. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.^{(A) 3} But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[b](B)

How to Pray

⁵ “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. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.^{(C) 6} 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) 7} When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.^{(E) 8} Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.^(F)

The Lord’s Prayer

⁹ “Therefore, you should pray like this: ^(G)

¹⁴ “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.^{(M) 15} But if you don’t forgive others,^[g] your Father will not forgive your offenses.

How to Fast

¹⁶ “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces ^(N) so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,^{(O) 18} so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[h]

The Prayer in the Garden

³⁶ Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,^(A) and he told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.^{(B) 38} He said to them, “I am deeply grieved^[a] to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”^{(C) 39} Going a little farther,^[b] he fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”^(D)

⁴⁰ Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this^[c] cannot pass^[d] unless I drink it, your will be done.”^{(E) 43} And he came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.

⁴⁴ After leaving them, he went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵ Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? See, the time is near. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.^{(F) 46} Get up; let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.”

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ He^(A) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves^(B) that they were righteous^(C) and looked down^(D) on everyone else: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray,^(E) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee was standing^(F) and praying like this about himself: ^[a] ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy,^(G) unrighteous,^(H) adulterers,^(I) or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast^(J) twice a week; I give a tenth^[b](K) of everything I get.’

¹³ “But the tax collector, standing far off,^(L) would not even raise his eyes to heaven^(M) but kept striking his chest^(N) and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me,^[c](O) a sinner!’ ^{(P) 14} I tell you, this one went down to his house justified^(Q) rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”^(R)