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Matthew 6

English Standard Version



1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. (Mt 6:16; Mt 23:5; 1Jo 2:29) 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Lu 6:24; Joh 5:44; 1Co 13:3) 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Mt 6:6; Mt 6:18) 



5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Mt 6:2; Mt 6:16; Mr 11:25; Lu 18:11) 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (2Ki 4:33; Isa 26:20; Mt 6:4; Mt 6:18) 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. (1Ki 18:26; Pr 10:19; Ec 5:2; Mt 5:47; Mt 6:32) 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Mt 6:32) 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.[1] (Isa 29:23; Mt 6:1; Lu 1:49; Lu 11:2; Joh 17:6; 1Pe 3:15) 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,[2] on earth as it is in heaven. (Ps 103:20; Da 4:35; Mt 3:2; Mt 4:17; Mt 12:50; Mt 26:42; Lu 22:42; Ac 21:14; Heb 13:21) 11 Give us this day our daily bread,[3] (Pr 30:8; Mt 6:34) 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.[4] (Mt 13:19; Mt 26:41; Mr 14:38; Lu 22:40; Lu 22:46; Joh 17:15; 1Co 10:13; 2Th 3:3; 2Ti 4:18) 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, (Mr 11:25; Lu 6:37; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13) 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mt 18:35; Jas 2:13) 



16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Isa 58:5; Mt 6:2; Mt 6:5) 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, (Ru 3:3; 2Sa 12:20) 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Mt 6:4; Mt 6:6) 



19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[5] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, (Mt 19:21; Mt 24:43; Lu 12:21; Lu 12:33; Lu 18:22; 1Ti 6:9; 1Ti 6:17; Heb 13:5; Jas 5:2) 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Mt 6:19) 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, (Lu 11:34) 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (De 15:9; Pr 28:22; Mt 6:22; Mt 20:15) 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.[6] (Lu 16:9; Lu 16:11; Lu 16:13; Ro 6:16; Jas 4:4) 



25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious 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? (Mt 6:27; Mt 6:31; Mt 6:34; Mt 10:19; Mt 13:22; Lu 12:22; 1Co 7:32; Php 4:6; 1Pe 5:7) 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Job 38:41; Ps 147:9; Mt 10:31) 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[7] (Lu 2:52) 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (1Ki 10:4) 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Mt 8:26; Mt 14:31; Mt 16:8; Mt 17:20) 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. (Mt 6:7; Mt 6:8) 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (1Ki 3:11; Mt 5:6; Mt 5:20; Mt 6:10; Mr 10:29; 1Ti 4:8; 1Pe 3:9) 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Jas 4:13) 

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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Matthew 6

New International Version



1 ‘Be careful not to practise your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 ‘So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 



5 ‘And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 ‘This, then, is how you should pray: ‘ “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,[1] but deliver us from the evil one.[2] ” 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 



16 ‘When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 



19 ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[3] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[4] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 ‘No-one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 



25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[5]? 28 ‘And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you – you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

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