Matthew 6

Pure-hearted Giving

6:1 “Be1 careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people.2 Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving,3 do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues4 and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth,5 they have their reward. 6:3 But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 6:4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.6

Private Prayer

6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues7 and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. 6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your room,8 close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.9 6:7 When10 you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. 6:8 Do11 not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 6:9 So pray this way:12

Our Father13 in heaven, may your name be honored,14

6:10 may your kingdom come,15

may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

6:11 Give us today our daily bread,16

6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves17 have forgiven our debtors.

6:13 And do not lead us into temptation,18 but deliver us from the evil one.19

6:14 “For if you forgive others20 their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.

Proper Fasting

6:16 “When21 you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive22 so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth,23 they have their reward. 6:17 When24 you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 6:18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Lasting Treasure

6:19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth25 and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 6:20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 6:21 For where your26 treasure27 is, there your heart will be also.

6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy,28 your whole body will be full of light. 6:23 But if your eye is diseased,29 your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate30 the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise31 the other. You cannot serve God and money.32

Do Not Worry

6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry33 about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 6:26 Look at the birds in the sky:34 They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds35 them. Aren’t you more valuable36 than they are? 6:27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?37 6:28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers38 of the field grow; they do not work39 or spin. 6:29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 6:30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass,40 which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,41 won’t he clothe you even more,42 you people of little faith? 6:31 So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 6:32 For the unconverted43 pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 6:33 But above all pursue his kingdom44 and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 6:34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.45

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