Matthew 6
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen by them: otherwise ye have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
"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 Therefore when thou doest thy alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Verily 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 doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
But when you are giving in charity, let not your left hand perceive what your right hand is doing,
4 That thy alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
that your charities may be in secret; and then your Father--He who sees in secret--will recompense you.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Verily 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 prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
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 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for 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 Therefore, be ye not like them: for your Father knoweth what things ye need, before ye ask him.
Do not, however, imitate them; for your Father knows what things you need before ever you ask Him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
"In this manner therefore pray: 'Our Father who art in Heaven, may Thy name be kept holy;
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
let Thy kingdom come; let Thy will be done, as in Heaven so on earth;
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
give us to-day our bread for the day;
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
and forgive us our shortcomings, as we also have forgiven those who have failed in their duty towards us;
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
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 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Verily 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 thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face;
But, whenever you fast, pour perfume on your hair and wash your face,
18 That thou mayest not appear to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
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 earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, 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 doth corrupt, 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 thy eye is clear, thy whole body shall be full of light.
"The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eyesight is good, your whole body will be well lighted;
23 But if thy eye is bad, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee is darkness, how great is that 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 else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and riches.
"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 Therefore I say to you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than raiment?
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 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than 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 Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?
Which of you by being over-anxious can add a single foot to his height?
28 And why are ye anxious for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither 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 And yet I say to you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not 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 Therefore, if God so clotheth the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe 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 Therefore be not anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed?
Do not be over-anxious, therefore, asking 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: ) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of 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 shall 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 Therefore be not anxious for to morrow: for to morrow will be anxious for the things of itself. Sufficient to the day is its own evil.
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.
