New Testament in a Year

The Sermon on a Mountain Continues: Don’t Do Good Works to Be Praised by People

6 “Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you. ² So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it with trumpet fanfare. This is what hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets in order to be praised by people. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. ³ When you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. ⁴ Give your contributions privately. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.

The Lord’s Prayer^(A)

⁵ “When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They like to stand in synagogues and on street corners to pray so that everyone can see them. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. ⁶ When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.

⁷ “When you pray, don’t ramble like heathens who think they’ll be heard if they talk a lot. ⁸ Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This is how you should pray:

¹⁴ “If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures.

Fasting

¹⁶ “When you fast, stop looking sad like hypocrites. They put on sad faces to make it obvious that they’re fasting. I can guarantee this truth: That will be their only reward. ¹⁷ When you fast, wash your face and comb your hair. ¹⁸ Then your fasting won’t be obvious. Instead, it will be obvious to your Father who is with you in private. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.