Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one. | All you need to do is to say ‘Yes’ if you mean ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ if you mean ‘No.’ Anything beyond this comes from the evil one. |
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. | But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. |
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Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. | Therefore, strive to be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. |
So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. | Therefore, whenever you give alms, do not trumpet your generosity, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets in order to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have already received their reward. |
But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. | But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Your almsgiving must be done in secret. And your Father who sees everything that is done in secret will reward you. |
But whenever 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. | But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees everything that is done in secret will reward you. |
When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. | When you pray do not go on babbling endlessly as the pagans do, for they believe that they are more likely to be heard because of their many words. |
Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. | This is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ |
Give us this day our daily bread. | Give us this day our daily bread. |
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. | And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. |
And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. | And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. |
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. | If you forgive others for the wrongs they have done, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. | But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. |
And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. | Whenever you fast, do not assume a gloomy expression like the hypocrites who contort their faces so that others may realize that they are fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. |
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. | But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that the fact that you are fasting will not be obvious to others but only to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees everything that is done in secret will reward you. |
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. | Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where they will be destroyed by moth and rust and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up treasure for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves cannot break in and steal. |
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. | For where your treasure is, there will your heart also be. |
No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. | No one can serve two masters. For you will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. |
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? | Therefore, heed my words. Do not be concerned about your life and what you will have to eat or drink, or about your body and what you will wear. Surely life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. |
Look 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? | Gaze upon the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or store in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of far greater value than they? |
But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. | Rather, seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. |
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today. | So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own. |
Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. | Do not judge, so that you in turn may not be judged. |
Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? | Why do you take note of the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not notice the wooden plank in your own eye? |
Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. |