Giving to the Needy

“Beware of (A)practicing your righteousness before other people in order (B)to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

(C)“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may (D)be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have (E)received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. (F)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Lord's Prayer

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love (G)to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. (H)Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, (I)go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. (J)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as (K)the Gentiles do, for (L)they think that they will be heard (M)for their many words. Do not be like them, (N)for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (O)Pray then like this:

(P)“Our Father in heaven,
(Q)hallowed be (R)your name.[a]
10 (S)Your kingdom come,
(T)your will be done,[b]
    (U)on earth as it is in heaven.
11 (V)Give us (W)this day our daily bread,[c]
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And (X)lead us not into temptation,
    but (Y)deliver us from (Z)evil.[d]

14 (AA)For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 (AB)but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting

16 “And (AC)when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. (AD)Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, (AE)anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. (AF)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 (AG)“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where (AH)moth and rust[e] destroy and where thieves (AI)break in and steal, 20 (AJ)but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 (AK)“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 (AL)but if (AM)your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 (AN)“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and (AO)money.[f]

Do Not Be Anxious

25 (AP)“Therefore I tell you, (AQ)do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 (AR)Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (AS)Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his (AT)span of life?[g] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, (AU)even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, (AV)O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For (AW)the Gentiles seek after all these things, and (AX)your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But (AY)seek first (AZ)the kingdom of God and his righteousness, (BA)and all these things will be added to you.

34 (BB)“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:9 Or Let your name be kept holy, or Let your name be treated with reverence
  2. Matthew 6:10 Or Let your kingdom come, let your will be done
  3. Matthew 6:11 Or our bread for tomorrow
  4. Matthew 6:13 Or the evil one; some manuscripts add For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen
  5. Matthew 6:19 Or worm; also verse 20
  6. Matthew 6:24 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions
  7. Matthew 6:27 Or a single cubit to his stature; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters

Charitable Giving to the Poor and Prayer

“Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, (A)to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

“So when you [a]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they (B)will be praised by people. (C)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and (D)your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

“And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to (E)stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners (F)so that they [c]will be seen by people. (G)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But as for you, when you pray, (H)go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and (I)your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

“And when you are praying, do not use thoughtless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their (J)many words. So do not be like them; for (K)your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

The Lord’s Prayer

(L)Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
[d]Hallowed be Your name.
10 [e](M)Your kingdom come.
(N)Your will be done,
[f]On earth as it is in heaven.
11 (O)Give us this day [g]our daily bread.
12 And (P)forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but (Q)deliver us from [h](R)evil.[i]

14 (S)For if you forgive other people for their [j]offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But (T)if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your [k]offenses.

Fasting; The True Treasure; Wealth

16 “Now (U)whenever you fast, do not make a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they [l]distort their faces so that they will be noticed by people when they are fasting. (V)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 But as for you, when you fast, [m](W)anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your (X)Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

19 (Y)Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves (Z)treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for (AA)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 (AB)The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is [n]clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if (AC)your eye is [o]bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 (AD)No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [p](AE)wealth.

The Cure for Anxiety

25 (AF)For this reason I say to you, [q]do not be (AG)worried about your [r]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 (AH)Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? 27 And which of you by (AI)worrying can (AJ)add a single [s]day to his [t]life’s span? 28 And why are you (AK)worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, 29 yet I say to you that not even (AL)Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the (AM)grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? (AN)You of little faith! 31 Do not (AO)worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for (AP)your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But [u]seek first [v]His kingdom and His righteousness, and (AQ)all these things will be [w]provided to you.

34 “So do not (AR)worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will [x]worry about itself. [y]Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 6:2 Lit make a charitable gift
  2. Matthew 6:3 Lit make a charitable gift
  3. Matthew 6:5 Lit may show themselves to
  4. Matthew 6:9 I.e., treated as sacred or holy
  5. Matthew 6:10 Or May Your...come
  6. Matthew 6:10 Lit as in heaven, also on earth
  7. Matthew 6:11 Or our bread for tomorrow
  8. Matthew 6:13 Or the evil one
  9. Matthew 6:13 Late mss add For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen
  10. Matthew 6:14 Or wrongdoings
  11. Matthew 6:15 Or wrongdoings
  12. Matthew 6:16 I.e., leave unwashed, or discolor their faces with makeup
  13. Matthew 6:17 I.e., rub oil in the hair
  14. Matthew 6:22 Or healthy; or sincere
  15. Matthew 6:23 Or evil
  16. Matthew 6:24 Gr mamonas, for Aramaic mamon (mammon); i.e., wealth etc. personified as an object of worship
  17. Matthew 6:25 Or stop being worried
  18. Matthew 6:25 Lit soul
  19. Matthew 6:27 Lit cubit (about 18 in. or 45 cm)
  20. Matthew 6:27 Or height
  21. Matthew 6:33 Or continually seek
  22. Matthew 6:33 Or the kingdom
  23. Matthew 6:33 Or added
  24. Matthew 6:34 Or look after itself
  25. Matthew 6:34 Lit Sufficient for the day is its evil

Fare l'elemosina in segreto

Guardatevi dal praticare le vostre buone opere davanti agli uomini per essere da loro ammirati, altrimenti non avrete ricompensa presso il Padre vostro che è nei cieli. Quando dunque fai l'elemosina, non suonare la tromba davanti a te, come fanno gli ipocriti nelle sinagoghe e nelle strade per essere lodati dagli uomini. In verità vi dico: hanno gia ricevuto la loro ricompensa. Quando invece tu fai l'elemosina, non sappia la tua sinistra ciò che fa la tua destra, perché la tua elemosina resti segreta; e il Padre tuo, che vede nel segreto, ti ricompenserà.

Pregare in segreto

Quando pregate, non siate simili agli ipocriti che amano pregare stando ritti nelle sinagoghe e negli angoli delle piazze, per essere visti dagli uomini. In verità vi dico: hanno gia ricevuto la loro ricompensa. Tu invece, quando preghi, entra nella tua camera e, chiusa la porta, prega il Padre tuo nel segreto; e il Padre tuo, che vede nel segreto, ti ricompenserà.

La vera preghiera. Il Pater

Pregando poi, non sprecate parole come i pagani, i quali credono di venire ascoltati a forza di parole. Non siate dunque come loro, perché il Padre vostro sa di quali cose avete bisogno ancor prima che gliele chiediate. Voi dunque pregate così:

Padre nostro che sei nei cieli,
sia santificato il tuo nome;
10 venga il tuo regno;
sia fatta la tua volontà,
come in cielo così in terra.
11 Dacci oggi il nostro pane quotidiano,
12 e rimetti a noi i nostri debiti
come noi li rimettiamo ai nostri debitori,
13 e non ci indurre in tentazione,
ma liberaci dal male.

14 Se voi infatti perdonerete agli uomini le loro colpe, il Padre vostro celeste perdonerà anche a voi; 15 ma se voi non perdonerete agli uomini, neppure il Padre vostro perdonerà le vostre colpe.

Digiunare in segreto

16 E quando digiunate, non assumete aria malinconica come gli ipocriti, che si sfigurano la faccia per far vedere agli uomini che digiunano. In verità vi dico: hanno gia ricevuto la loro ricompensa.

17 Tu invece, quando digiuni, profumati la testa e lavati il volto, 18 perché la gente non veda che tu digiuni, ma solo tuo Padre che è nel segreto; e il Padre tuo, che vede nel segreto, ti ricompenserà.

Il vero tesoro

19 Non accumulatevi tesori sulla terra, dove tignola e ruggine consumano e dove ladri scassinano e rubano; 20 accumulatevi invece tesori nel cielo, dove né tignola né ruggine consumano, e dove ladri non scassinano e non rubano. 21 Perché là dov'è il tuo tesoro, sarà anche il tuo cuore.

L'occhio lucerna del corpo

22 La lucerna del corpo è l'occhio; se dunque il tuo occhio è chiaro, tutto il tuo corpo sarà nella luce; 23 ma se il tuo occhio è malato, tutto il tuo corpo sarà tenebroso. Se dunque la luce che è in te è tenebra, quanto grande sarà la tenebra!

Dio e il denaro

24 Nessuno può servire a due padroni: o odierà l'uno e amerà l'altro, o preferirà l'uno e disprezzerà l'altro: non potete servire a Dio e a mammona.

Abbandonarsi alla Provvidenza

25 Perciò vi dico: per la vostra vita non affannatevi di quello che mangerete o berrete, e neanche per il vostro corpo, di quello che indosserete; la vita forse non vale più del cibo e il corpo più del vestito? 26 Guardate gli uccelli del cielo: non seminano, né mietono, né ammassano nei granai; eppure il Padre vostro celeste li nutre. Non contate voi forse più di loro? 27 E chi di voi, per quanto si dia da fare, può aggiungere un'ora sola alla sua vita? 28 E perché vi affannate per il vestito? Osservate come crescono i gigli del campo: non lavorano e non filano. 29 Eppure io vi dico che neanche Salomone, con tutta la sua gloria, vestiva come uno di loro. 30 Ora se Dio veste così l'erba del campo, che oggi c'è e domani verrà gettata nel forno, non farà assai più per voi, gente di poca fede? 31 Non affannatevi dunque dicendo: Che cosa mangeremo? Che cosa berremo? Che cosa indosseremo? 32 Di tutte queste cose si preoccupano i pagani; il Padre vostro celeste infatti sa che ne avete bisogno. 33 Cercate prima il regno di Dio e la sua giustizia, e tutte queste cose vi saranno date in aggiunta. 34 Non affannatevi dunque per il domani, perché il domani avrà gia le sue inquietudini. A ciascun giorno basta la sua pena.

Giving to the Needy

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.(A) If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“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. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.(B)

Prayer(C)

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing(D) 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,(E) 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(F) like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.(G) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need(H) before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

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

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

Fasting

16 “When you fast,(R) do not look somber(S) as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.(T)

Treasures in Heaven(U)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,(V) where moths and vermin destroy,(W) and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,(X) where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.(Y) 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.(Z)

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.(AA)

Do Not Worry(AB)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry(AC) about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.(AD) Are you not much more valuable than they?(AE) 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?(AF)

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor(AG) was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?(AH) 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.(AI) 33 But seek first his kingdom(AJ) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.(AK) 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

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.
  3. Matthew 6:22 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.
  4. Matthew 6:23 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.
  5. Matthew 6:27 Or single cubit to your height