Matthew

On the Practice of Good Works  

Be careful not to showcase your good deeds in front of others. If you do, you won’t receive any recompense from your Father in heaven.

Regarding Alms

When you give to the poor, do not make it public, like those who want to be seen in the synagogues and streets to garner praise from others. I assure you, they have already received their reward.

If you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 

so that your gift remains truly secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Regarding Prayer

When you pray, don’t be like those who seek attention. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have their reward.

When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

When you pray, do not use many words like the pagans do, because they think that the more they speak, the more likely they are to be heard. 

Avoid emulating them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask.

The Lord’s Prayer

This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom,

come,your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

Do not bring us to the time of trial,but deliver us from the evil one.

If you forgive others for their wrongdoings, your Father in heaven will also forgive you; 

but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

Regarding Fasting

When you fast, do not look miserable like the hypocrites do. They make a sad face so others can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have already received their reward in full.

When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, 

because you are not fasting to impress people but for your Father who sees what is done in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in private, will reward you.

The True Treasure

Do not store up treasures for yourself on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves can steal.

Store up treasures for yourself with God, where no moth or rust can destroy them, nor thief comes and steals them.

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

Light and Darkness

The lamp of the body is the eye; if your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be filled with light.

If your eyes are sick, your whole body is full of darkness. Then, if the light in you is darkness, how great that darkness is! 

God and Money

No one can serve two masters; for he will either hate one and love the other, or he will be loyal to the first and look down on the second. You cannot, at the same time, serve God and money.

Trust in God

Therefore, I tell you not to worry about food and drink for yourself, or about clothes for your body. Isn’t life more important than food? And isn’t the body more important than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or harvest or store food in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more important than they?  

Can any of you add a day to your life by worrying about it? 

Why are you so concerned about your clothes? Just look at how the flowers in the fields grow—they don’t toil or spin. 

But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. 

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which blooms today and is to be burned in an oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you? What little faith you have!

Don’t worry and ask: What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? Or: What shall we wear? 

The pagans are concerned with such things, but your heavenly Father knows that you need all of them. 

Prioritize the kingdom and righteousness of God first, and all these things will be added to you. 

Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will handle itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.