Matthew 6
1 Be careful not to do your charity before men in order to be seen by them, otherwise ye have no reward from your Father in the heavens.
"But beware of doing your good actions in the sight of men, in order to attract their gaze; if you do, there is no reward for you with your Father who is in Heaven.
2 When therefore thou do charity, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
'When you give in charity, never blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets in order that their praises may be sung by men. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.
3 But when thou do charity, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does,
But when you are giving in charity, let not your left hand perceive what your right hand is doing,
4 so that thy charity may be in secret. And thy Father who sees in secret will himself reward thee in the open.
that your charities may be in secret; and then your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.
5 And when thou pray, thou shall not be as the hypocrites, because they love to pray having stood in the synagogues and in the corners of the thoroughfares, so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
"And when praying, you must not be like the hypocrites. They are fond of standing and praying in the synagogues or at the corners of the wider streets, in order that men may see them. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou pray, enter into thy private room, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father in secret, and thy Father who sees in secret will reward thee in the open.
But you, whenever you pray, go into your own room and shut the door: then pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.
7 And while praying do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard by their much speaking.
"And when praying, do not use needless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they expect to be listened to because of their multitude of words.
8 Be not therefore like them, for your Father knows what things ye have need of before ye ask him.
Do not, however, imitate them; for your Father knows what things you need before ever you ask Him.
9 Pray ye therefore this way: Our Father in the heavens, hallowed be thy name.
"In this manner therefore pray: 'Our Father who art in Heaven, may Thy name be kept holy;
10 May thy kingdom come. May thy will happen on the earth as also in heaven.
let Thy kingdom come; let Thy will be done, as in Heaven so on earth;
11 Give us this day the bread sufficient for us.
give us to-day our bread for the day;
12 And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.
and forgive us our shortcomings, as we also have forgiven those who have failed in their duty towards us;
13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, because from thee is the kingdom and the power and the glory into the ages. Truly.
and bring us not into temptation, but rescue us from the Evil one.'
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
"For if you forgive others their offences, your Heavenly Father will forgive you also;
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
but if you do not forgive others their offences, neither will your Father forgive yours.
16 And when ye fast, become not like the gloomy looking hypocrites, for they make their faces unsightly, so that they may appear fasting to men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
"When any of you fast, never assume gloomy looks as the hypocrites do; for they disfigure their faces in order that it may be evident to men that they are fasting. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.
17 But when thou fast, anoint thy head, and wash thy face,
But, whenever you fast, pour perfume on your hair and wash your face,
18 so that thou may not appear fasting to men, but to thy Father in secret. And thy Father, who sees in secret, will reward thee.
that it may not be apparent to men that you are fasting, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust deteriorates, and where thieves break through and steal,
"Do not lay up stores of wealth for yourselves on earth, where the moth and wear-and-tear destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust deteriorates, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
But amass wealth for yourselves in Heaven, where neither the moth nor wear-and-tear destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
For where your wealth is, there also will your heart be.
22 The light of the body is the eye. If therefore thine eye is sound, thy whole body will be bright.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eyesight is good, your whole body will be well lighted;
23 But if thine eye is bad, thy whole body will be dark. If therefore the light that is in thee is darkness, how great is the darkness!
but if your eyesight is bad, your whole body will be dark. If however the very light within you is darkness, how dense must the darkness be!
24 No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to one, and disparage the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
"No man can be the bondservant of two masters; for either he will dislike one and like the other, or he will attach himself to one and think slightingly of the other. You cannot be the bondservants both of God and of gold.
25 Because of this I say to you, be not anxious about your life, what ye may eat, or what ye may drink, nor yet for your body, what ye may wear. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the clothing?
For this reason I charge you not to be over-anxious about your lives, inquiring what you are to eat or what you are to drink, nor yet about your bodies, inquiring what clothes you are to put on. Is not the life more precious than its food, and the body than its clothing?
26 Look to the birds of the sky, because they sow not, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not more valuable then they?
Look at the birds which fly in the air: they do not sow or reap or store up in barns, but your Heavenly Father feeds them: are not you of much greater value than they?
27 And which man of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?
Which of you by being over-anxious can add a single foot to his height?
28 And why are ye anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, nor do they spin,
And why be anxious about clothing? Learn a lesson from the wild lilies. Watch their growth. They neither toil nor spin,
29 yet I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these.
and yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his magnificence could array himself like one of these.
30 And if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into an oven, will he not much more you, O ye of little faith?
And if God so clothes the wild herbage which to-day flourishes and to-morrow is thrown into the oven, is it not much more certain that He will clothe you, you men of little faith?
31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What may we eat? or, What may we drink? or, What may we wear?
Do not be over-anxious, therefore, asking 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that ye need all these things.
For all these are questions that Gentiles are always asking; but your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things--all of them.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
But make His Kingdom and righteousness your chief aim, and then these things shall all be given you in addition.
34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow, for the morrow will be anxious about things of itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil of it.
Do not be over-anxious, therefore, about to-morrow, for to-morrow will bring its own cares. Enough for each day are its own troubles.
