Matthew 6
1 Make sure not to do your good deeds in front of people, just so they can be seen. Otherwise you won't have any reward from your Father in heaven.
“Take heed not to do your kindness before men, to be seen by them, and if not—you have no reward from your Father who [is] in the heavens;
2 When you give to the poor, don't be like the hypocrites who blow their own trumpets to announce what they're doing in the synagogues and in the streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth: they already have their reward.
whenever, therefore, you may do kindness, you may not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory from men; truly I say to you, they have their reward!
3 When you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing.
But you, doing kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand does,
4 That way what you give will be in secret, and your Father who sees what happens in secret will reward you.
that your kindness may be in secret, and your Father who is seeing in secret will reward you Himself.
5 When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people can see them. I promise you, they already have their reward.
And when you may pray, you will not be as the hypocrites, because they cherish to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the broad places, that they may be seen of men; truly I say to you that they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go indoors and close the door, and pray to your Father in private, and your Father who sees what happens in private will reward you.
But you, when you may pray, go into your chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who [is] in secret, and your Father who is seeing in secret will reward you.
7 When you pray, don't babble on meaninglessly like the foreigners do, who think they will be heard because of all the words they repeat.
And—praying—you may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their speaking much they will be heard,
8 Don't be like them, for your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.
therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows those things that you have need of before your asking Him;
9 So pray like this:
therefore pray thus: Our Father who [is] in the heavens, hallowed be Your Name.
10 Our heavenly Father, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come! May your will be carried out in earth as it is in heaven.
Your kingdom come, Your will come to pass, as in Heaven also on the earth.
11 Please give to us today the food we need.
Give us today our appointed bread.
12 Forgive our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
13 Don't let us be tempted to do wrong, and save us from the evil one.
And may You not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one], because Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory—for all ages. Amen.
14 For if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
For if you may forgive men their trespasses He also will forgive you—your Father who [is] in the heavens;
15 But if you don't forgive those who sin against you, then your heavenly Father won't forgive your sins.
but if you may not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 When you fast, don't be like the hypocrites who put on sad faces and make themselves look terrible so that everyone can see they're fasting. I tell you the truth, they already have their reward.
And when you may fast, do not be as the hypocrites, of sour countenances, for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men fasting; truly I say to you that they have their reward.
17 Instead, when you fast, wash your face and look smart,
But you, fasting, anoint your head, and wash your face,
18 so that people won't see you're fasting, and your unseen Father who sees what happens in private will reward you.
that you may not appear to men fasting, but to your Father who [is] in secret, and your Father, who is seeing in secret, will reward you.
19 Don't pile up wealth here on earth where moths and rust ruin it, and where thieves break in and steal it.
Do not treasure up to yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust disfigure, and where thieves break through and steal,
20 Instead, you should store up your wealth in heaven, where moths and rust don't ruin it, and where thieves don't break in and steal it.
but treasure up to yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust disfigure, and where thieves do not break through nor steal,
21 For what you value the most shows who you really are.
for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The eye is like a lamp that lights the body. So if your eye is healthy, then your whole body will have light.
The lamp of the body is the eye, if, therefore, your eye may be perfect, all your body will be enlightened,
23 But if your eye is evil, then your whole body will be in the dark. If the light in you is darkness, how dark is that!
but if your eye may be evil, all your body will be dark; if, therefore, the light that [is] in you is darkness—the darkness, how great!
24 No one can serve two masters. Either you'll hate one and love the other, or you'll be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Money.
None is able to serve two lords, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other; you are not able to serve God and wealth.
25 That's why I'm telling you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about what to eat, or what to drink, or what clothes to put on. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Because of this I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, what you may eat, and what you may drink, nor for your body, what you may put on. Is not life more than nourishment, and the body than clothing?
26 Look at the birds—they don't sow or reap or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they are?
Look to the birds of the sky, for they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into storehouses, and your heavenly Father nourishes them; are you not much better than they?
27 Who of you by worrying can add a minute to your life?
And who of you, being anxious, is able to add to his age one cubit?
28 And why are you worried about clothes? Look at the beautiful flowers in the field. See how they grow: they don't work hard, they don't spin thread.
And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider well the lilies of the field; how do they grow? They do not labor, nor do they spin;
29 But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these flowers.
and I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed as one of these.
30 So if God decorates the fields like this, grass which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, won't he do much more for you, you people who trust so little?
And if the herb of the field, that today is, and tomorrow is cast into the furnace, God so clothes—not much more you, O you of little faith?
31 So don't worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
Therefore you may not be anxious, saying, What may we eat? Or, What may we drink? Or, [With] what may we be clothed?
32 These are all the things that the heathen chase after, but your heavenly Father knows everything you need.
For the nations seek for all these, for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these;
33 Seek his kingdom first, and his way of living right, and everything will be given to you.
but seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these will be added to you.
34 So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow can worry about itself. There's already enough evil in every day.
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for its own things; sufficient for the day [is] the evil of it.”
