Matthew 6
6
Jesus Teaches About Giving
1“Be careful! When you do something good, don’t do it in front of others so that they will see you. If you do that, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2“When you give to those who are poor, don’t announce that you are giving. Don’t be like the hypocrites. When they are in the synagogues and on the streets, they blow trumpets before they give so that people will see them. They want everyone to praise them. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get. 3So when you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know what you are doing.#6:3 don’t … doing Literally, “don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” 4Your giving should be done in private. Your Father can see what is done in private, and he will reward you.
Jesus Teaches About Prayer
(Lk. 11:2–4)
5“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray loudly. They want people to see them. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get. 6But when you pray, you should go into your room and close the door. Then pray to your Father. He is there in that private place. He can see what is done in private, and he will reward you.
7“And when you pray, don’t be like the people who don’t know God. They say the same things again and again. They think that if they say it enough, their god will hear them. 8Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9So this is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
we pray that your name will always be kept holy.
10We pray that your kingdom will come—
that what you want will be done here on earth, the same as in heaven.
11Give us the food we need for today.
12Forgive our sins,
just as we have forgiven those who did wrong to us.
13Don’t let us be tempted,
but save us from the Evil One.’#6:13 Some Greek copies add: “For the kingdom and the power and the glory belong to you forever and ever. Amen.”
14Yes, if you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, then your Father in heaven will also forgive your wrongs. 15But if you don’t forgive others, then your Father in heaven will not forgive the wrongs you do.
Jesus Teaches About Fasting
16“When you fast, don’t make yourselves look sad like the hypocrites. They put a look of suffering on their faces so that people will see they are fasting. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get. 17So when you fast, wash your face and make yourself look nice. 18Then no one will know you are fasting, except your Father, who is with you even in private. He can see what is done in private, and he will reward you.
You Cannot Serve Two Masters
(Lk. 12:33–34; 11:34–36; 16:13)
19“Don’t save treasures for yourselves here on earth. Moths and rust will destroy them. And thieves can break into your house and steal them. 20Instead, save your treasures in heaven, where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. 21Your heart will be where your treasure is.
22“The only source of light for the body is the eye. If you look at people and want to help them, you will be full of light. 23But if you look at people in a selfish way, you will be full of darkness. And if the only light you have is really darkness, you have the worst kind of darkness.#6:23 Literally, “22 The lamp of the body is the eye. So, if your eye is pure, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. So, if the light in you is darkness, how much is the darkness.”
24“You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Money#6:24 Money Or “mamona,” an Aramaic word meaning “wealth.” at the same time.
Put God’s Kingdom First
(Lk. 12:22–34)
25“So I tell you, don’t worry about the things you need to live—what you will eat, drink, or wear. Life is more important than food, and the body is more important than what you put on it. 26Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don’t you know you are worth much more than they are? 27You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.
28“And why do you worry about clothes? Look at the wildflowers in the field. See how they grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. 29But I tell you that even Solomon, the great and rich king, was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. 30If God makes what grows in the field so beautiful, what do you think he will do for you? It’s just grass—one day it’s alive, and the next day someone throws it into a fire. But God cares enough to make it beautiful. Surely he will do much more for you. Your faith is so small!
31“Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32That’s what those people who don’t know God are always thinking about. Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need. 34So don’t worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Tomorrow will have its own worries.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Matthew 6
6
Do Good to Please God
1“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2Therefore, #Rom. 12:8when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret #Luke 14:12–14will Himself reward you openly.
The Model Prayer
5“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6But you, when you pray, #2 Kin. 4:33go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7And when you pray, #Eccl. 5:2do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. #1 Kin. 18:26For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father #(Rom. 8:26, 27)knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9In this #Matt. 6:9–13; Luke 11:2–4; (John 16:24; Eph. 6:18; Jude 20)manner, therefore, pray:
#(Matt. 5:9, 16)Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your #Mal. 1:11name.
10Your kingdom come.
#Matt. 26:42; Luke 22:42; Acts 21:14Your will be done
On earth #Ps. 103:20as it is in heaven.
11Give us this day our #(Job 23:12); Prov. 30:8; Is. 33:16; Luke 11:3daily bread.
12And #(Matt. 18:21, 22)forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13#(Matt. 26:41; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 3:10)And do not lead us into temptation,
But #John 17:15; (2 Thess. 3:3); 2 Tim. 4:18; (1 John 5:18)deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14#(Matt. 7:2); Mark 11:25; (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13)“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But #Matt. 18:35; James 2:13if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Fasting to Be Seen Only by God
16“Moreover, #Is. 58:3–7; Luke 18:12when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17But you, when you fast, #Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 12:20; Dan. 10:3anoint your head and wash your face, 18so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19#Prov. 23:4; (1 Tim. 6:17; Heb. 13:5); James 5:1“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20#Matt. 19:21; Luke 12:33; 18:22; 1 Tim. 6:19; 1 Pet. 1:4but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Lamp of the Body
22#Luke 11:34, 35“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
You Cannot Serve God and Riches
24#Luke 16:9, 11, 13“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. #(Gal. 1:10; 1 Tim. 6:17; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15)You cannot serve God and mammon.
Do Not Worry
25“Therefore I say to you, #(Ps. 55:22); Luke 12:22; (Phil. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:7)do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26#Job 38:41; Ps. 147:9; Matt. 10:29; Luke 12:24Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But #1 Kin. 3:13; Luke 12:31; (1 Tim. 4:8)seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.