Matthew 6
1 “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Make sure not to do your good deeds in front of people, just so they can be seen. Otherwise you won't have any reward from your Father in heaven.
2 Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.
When you give to the poor, don't be like the hypocrites who blow their own trumpets to announce what they're doing in the synagogues and in the streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth: they already have their reward.
3 But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does,
When you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing.
4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
That way what you give will be in secret, and your Father who sees what happens in secret will reward you.
5 “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.
When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people can see them. I promise you, they already have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
But you, when you pray, go indoors and close the door, and pray to your Father in private, and your Father who sees what happens in private will reward you.
7 In praying, don’t use vain repetitions as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.
When you pray, don't babble on meaninglessly like the foreigners do, who think they will be heard because of all the words they repeat.
8 Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need before you ask him.
Don't be like them, for your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.
9 Pray like this: “‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
So pray like this:
10 Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Our heavenly Father, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come! May your will be carried out in earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
Please give to us today the food we need.
12 Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
Forgive our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
13 Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’
Don't let us be tempted to do wrong, and save us from the evil one.
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
For if you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
But if you don't forgive those who sin against you, then your heavenly Father won't forgive your sins.
16 “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.
When you fast, don't be like the hypocrites who put on sad faces and make themselves look terrible so that everyone can see they're fasting. I tell you the truth, they already have their reward.
17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
Instead, when you fast, wash your face and look smart,
18 so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
so that people won't see you're fasting, and your unseen Father who sees what happens in private will reward you.
19 “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;
Don't pile up wealth here on earth where moths and rust ruin it, and where thieves break in and steal it.
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal;
Instead, you should store up your wealth in heaven, where moths and rust don't ruin it, and where thieves don't break in and steal it.
21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
For what you value the most shows who you really are.
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light.
The eye is like a lamp that lights the body. So if your eye is healthy, then your whole body will have light.
23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
But if your eye is evil, then your whole body will be in the dark. If the light in you is darkness, how dark is that!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.
No one can serve two masters. Either you'll hate one and love the other, or you'll be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Money.
25 Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
That's why I'm telling you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about what to eat, or what to drink, or what clothes to put on. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?
Look at the birds—they don't sow or reap or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than they are?
27 “Which of you by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?
Who of you by worrying can add a minute to your life?
28 Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,
And why are you worried about clothes? Look at the beautiful flowers in the field. See how they grow: they don't work hard, they don't spin thread.
29 yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.
But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these flowers.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
So if God decorates the fields like this, grass which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, won't he do much more for you, you people who trust so little?
31 “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
So don't worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
These are all the things that the heathen chase after, but your heavenly Father knows everything you need.
33 But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.
Seek his kingdom first, and his way of living right, and everything will be given to you.
34 Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.
So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow can worry about itself. There's already enough evil in every day.
