Matthew 6:1-21
New American Standard Bible 1995
Giving to the Poor and Prayer
6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men (A)to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
2 “So when you [a]give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they (B)may be honored by men. (C)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But when you [b]give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your [c]giving will be in secret; and (D)your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to (E)stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners [d](F)so that they may be seen by men. (G)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, (H)go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and (I)your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their (J)many words. 8 So do not be like them; for (K)your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
9 “(L)Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘(M)Your kingdom come.
(N)Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘(O)Give us this day [e]our daily bread.
12 ‘And (P)forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but (Q)deliver us from [f](R)evil. [g][For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]
14 (S)For if you forgive [h]others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But (T)if you do not forgive [i]others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
Fasting; The True Treasure; Wealth (Mammon)
16 “(U)Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they [j]neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. (V)Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 17 But you, when you fast, (W)anoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your (X)Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
19 “(Y)Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves (Z)treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for (AA)where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 6:2 Or give alms
- Matthew 6:3 Or give alms
- Matthew 6:4 Or alms
- Matthew 6:5 Lit to be apparent to men
- Matthew 6:11 Or our bread for tomorrow
- Matthew 6:13 Or the evil one
- Matthew 6:13 This clause not found in early mss
- Matthew 6:14 Gr anthropoi
- Matthew 6:15 Gr anthropoi
- Matthew 6:16 Lit distort their faces, i.e. discolor their faces with makeup
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.