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¹ Take care not to perform any religious act in order to be observed by men: otherwise you will have no reward from your father who is in heaven. ² therefore, when you give alms, do not make a proclamation of it as the hypocrites do, in their publick assemblies by sound of trumpet, that they may have the applause of men. for I assure you, they have their reward. ³ but when you give alms, "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth:" ⁴ that your alms may be secret: and your father who sees your secret actions, shall reward you.

⁵ And when you pray, be not as the hypocrites are: for they chuse to stand praying in publick places, and at the corners of the streets, to be observ'd by men. I assure you, they have their reward. ⁶ but you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to your father who is with you in your retirement, and your father who observeth the actions of your retirement shall reward you. ⁷ When you pray, be not verbose, as the heathen are: for they think they shall be heard for their loquaciousness. ⁸ don't therefore imitate them: for your father knows what you want, before you ask him.

⁹ After this manner do you therefore pray: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. thy kingdom come. ¹⁰ thy will be done on 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 let us not be left under temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." ¹⁴ for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.

¹⁶ When ye fast, don't put on a dismal air, as the hypocrites do, who look dejected, that men may take notice of their fasting: I assure you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ but whenever you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face: ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be observed by men, but by your father, who is with you in your retirement, and your father who observes what you do in private, shall give you a reward.

¹⁹ Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. ²⁰ but lay up for your selves treasures in heaven, where there is neither moth, nor rust, nor corruption, nor thieves, nor violence to molest you. ²¹ for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ²² the eye is the light of the body: now if your eye be clear, your whole body will be enlightned. ²³ but if your eye be bad, your whole body will be dark: if therefore that, which should be light to you, be dark; how great is that darkness? ²⁴ no man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will be attach'd to the one, and neglectful of the other. ye cannot serve God and Mamon.

²⁵ I therefore direct you, not to be sollicitous, with regard to life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor with regard to the body, what clothes ye shall wear: Is not life it self a greater gift than food; and the body a greater gift than rayment? ²⁶ consider the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor lay up any stores; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much greater value than they? ²⁷ who by all his sollicitude can add one moment to his age? ²⁸ And as for rayment, why should that give you pain? consider the lillies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. ²⁹ and yet I tell you, even Solomon with all his magnificence, was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ now if God thus adorns the flower of the field, which thriving to day, is to morrow thrown into the oven, how much more shall he provide for you, if you have any degree of faith? ³¹ therefore make no such sollicitous enquiries, as what shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or how shall we be clothed? ³² things which the Gentiles are so thoughtful about, and which your heavenly Father knows that you want. ³³ but first seek the kingdom of God, and that righteousness which leads to it, and all these things shall be superadded. be not ³⁴ therefore sollicitous about the morrow: for the morrow shall be taken up with the cares of the morrow, the trouble of the day is sufficient for one day.