English Standard Version

New Living Translation

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

1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.

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

2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.

3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

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

5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

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

6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

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

7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

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

8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

9Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

10Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

11Give us this day our daily bread,

11 Give us today the food we need,

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

12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

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

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

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

15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

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

16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.

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

17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face.

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

18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Teaching about Money and Possessions

19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.

20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.

21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

22“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,

22 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light.

23but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

25“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?

27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing,

29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’

32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.