Matthew 6
Pure-hearted Giving
1 “Bes careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people.t Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving,t do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagoguess and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth,t they have their reward.3 But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.s
Private Prayer
5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagoguess and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.6 But whenever you pray, go into your room,s close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.ss7 Whent you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.8 Dot not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 So pray this way:s
Our Fathers in heaven, may your name be honored,t
10 may your kingdom come,s
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread,t
12 and forgive us our debts, as we ourselvest have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,ts but deliver us from the evil one.st
14 “For if you forgive otherst their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.
Proper Fasting
16 “Whent you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractivet so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth,t they have their reward.17 Whent you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
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
19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where motht and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where yourt treasures is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy,t your whole body will be full of light.
23 But if your eye is diseased,ts your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hates the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despiset the other. You cannot serve God and money.ts
Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worryt 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?26 Look at the birds in the sky:t They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedst them. Aren’t you more valuablet than they are?27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?t28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowerst of the field grow; they do not workt or spin.29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass,t which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven,ts won’t he clothe you even more,s you people of little faith?31 So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’32 For the unconvertedt pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33 But above all pursue his kingdomss and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.t
MATTHEW 6
Giving
1 t When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven.
2 When you give to the poor, don't blow a loud horn. That's what show-offs do in the synagogues and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward.
3 When you give to the poor, don't let anyone know about it.t
4 Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret and will reward you.Prayer
(Luke 11.2-4)
5 t When you pray, don't be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.
6 When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private and will reward you.
7 t When you pray, don't talk on and on as people do who don't know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers.
8 Don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask.
9 You should pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
help us to honor
your name.
10 Come and set up
your kingdom,
so that everyone on earth
will obey you,
as you are obeyed
in heaven.
11 Give us our food for today.t
12 Forgive us for doing wrong,
as we forgive others.
13 Keep us from being temptedt
and protect us from evil.t
14 t t If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive you.
15 But if you don't forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.Worshiping God //by Going without Eating
16 When you go without eating, t don't try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward. 17 t Instead, comb your hair and wash your face.
18 Then others won't know you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.Treasures in Heaven
(Luke 12.33,34)
19 t Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. 20 t Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them.
21 Your heart will always be where your treasure is.Light
(Luke 11.34-36)
22 Your eyes are a window for your body. When they are good, you have all the light you need.
23 But when your eyes are bad, everything is dark. If the light inside you is dark, you surely are in the dark.Money
(Luke 16.13)
24 You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money.Worry
(Luke 12.22-31)
25 I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing?
26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you worth much more than birds?
27 Can worry make you live longer?t 28 Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes. 29 t But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealtht wasn't as well clothed as one of them.
30 God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. God will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?
31 Don't worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” 32 Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows you need all of these.
33 But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
34 Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.