The Gospel According to Matthew

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

"When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

"But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing

that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

"Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him.

"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.

'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

'Give us this day our daily bread.

'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]'

"For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

"But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

"And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites [do,] for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

"But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face

so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

"The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.

"But 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 the darkness!

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

"For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, [as to] what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, [as to] what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?

"And which of you by being anxious can add a [single] cubit to his life's span?

"And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,

yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.

"But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is [alive] today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, [will He] not much more [do so for] you, O men of little faith?

"Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?'

"For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

"Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. [Each] day has enough trouble of its own.