Matthew 6:1-18

Giving to the Needy

1 “Beware of ¹practicing your righteousness before other people in order ²to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 ³“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 ⁴be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have ⁵received their reward.

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. ⁶And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Lord’s Prayer

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love ⁷to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. ⁸Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

6 But when you pray, ⁹go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. ¹⁰And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as ¹¹the Gentiles do, for ¹²they think that they will be heard ¹³for their many words.

8 Do not be like them, ¹⁴for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 ¹⁵Pray then like this: ¹⁶“Our Father in heaven, ¹⁷hallowed be ¹⁸your name. ^[a]

10 ¹⁹Your kingdom come, ²⁰your will be done, ^{[b] 21}on earth as it is in heaven.

11 ²²Give us ²³this day our daily bread, ^[c]

12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And ²⁴lead us not into temptation, but ²⁵deliver us from ²⁶evil. ^[d]

14 ²⁷For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

15 ²⁸but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting

16 “And ²⁹when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. ³⁰Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

17 But when you fast, ³¹anoint your head and wash your face,

18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. ³²And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Cross References

• 1. 6:1 1 John 2:29
• 2. 6:1 ver. 16; ch. 23:5
• 3. 6:2 [1 Cor. 13:3]
• 4. 6:2 John 5:44
• 5. 6:2 Luke 6:24
• 6. 6:4 ver. 6, 18
• 7. 6:5 Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11
• 8. 6:5 ver. 2, 16
• 9. 6:6 2 Kgs. 4:33; Isa. 26:20
• 10. 6:6 ver. 4, 18
• 11. 6:7 ver. 32; ch. 5:47
• 12. 6:7 1 Kgs. 18:26
• 13. 6:7 Prov. 10:19; Eccles. 5:2
• 14. 6:8 ver. 32
• 15. 6:9 For ver. 9-13, [Luke 11:2-4]
• 16. 6:9 ver. 1
• 17. 6:9 Isa. 29:23; [Luke 1:49; 1 Pet. 3:15]
• 18. 6:9 John 17:6
• 19. 6:10 [ch. 3:2; 4:17]
• 20. 6:10 ch. 26:42; Luke 22:42; Acts 21:14; [ch. 12:50; Heb. 13:21]
• 21. 6:10 Ps. 103:20, 21; Dan. 4:35
• 22. 6:11 Prov. 30:8
• 23. 6:11 [ver. 34]
• 24. 6:13 ch. 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46; [1 Cor. 10:13]
• 25. 6:13 John 17:15; 2 Thess. 3:3; [2 Tim. 4:18]
• 26. 6:13 See ch. 13:19
• 27. 6:14 Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13
• 28. 6:15 ch. 18:35; See James 2:13
• 29. 6:16 Isa. 58:5
• 30. 6:16 ver. 2, 5
• 31. 6:17 Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 12:20
• 32. 6:18 ver. 4, 6

Footnotes

• [a] 6:9 Or 'Let your name be kept holy', or 'Let your name be treated with reverence'
• [b] 6:10 Or 'Let your kingdom come, let your will be done'
• [c] 6:11 Or 'our bread for tomorrow'
• [d] 6:13 Or 'the evil one'; some manuscripts add 'For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen'