Pray Like This
Gospel of Matthew 6
“Take care not to perform your religious duties in public in order to be seen by others; if you do, your Father who is in heaven has no reward for you. 2 Therefore, when you do acts of charity, do not have a trumpet blown in front of you, as hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. There, I tell you, is their reward!
3 But, when you do acts of charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 So that your charity may be secret; and your Father, who sees what is in secret, will recompense you. 5 And, when you pray, you are not to behave as hypocrites do. They like to pray standing in the synagogues and at the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. There, I tell you, is their reward!”
6 But, when you pray, go into your own room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who dwells in secret; and your Father, who sees what is secret, will recompense you. 7 When praying, do not repeat the same words over and over again, as is done by the Gentiles, who think that by using many words they will obtain a hearing. 8 Do not imitate them; for God, your Father, knows what you need before you ask him.
9 You, therefore, should pray like this: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread; 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.’
14 For, if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also; 15 But, if you do not forgive others their trespasses, not even your Father will forgive your trespasses.
Exploring the Prayer of Jesus
To continue reading Chapter 6 of the Gospel of Matthew, please click on page 2 below.
