Matthew 6:5-16

5‘Also, you must not pray in the way that the hypocrites pray. They like to stand and pray in their meeting places. They like to do it on the corners of the busy streets. Then many people will see them and they will praise them. I tell you this. They have already received their gift from people. God will not give them anything more.

6But this is how you should pray. Go to a place in your house where you can be alone. You can shut the door and you can pray to God your Father. He is in that secret place. He sees what you do there. He will give you good things in return.

7When you pray, do not say the same words many times. People who do not believe in God do that. They use many words that mean nothing. They think that when they pray like that, their gods will hear them.

8Do not pray like they do. God your Father already knows what you need. He knows this even before you ask him.

9So this is how you should pray: “God, our Father who is in heaven, we want people to give honour to you.

10We want the day when you rule everyone to come soon. We want everyone to obey you on earth, like everyone in heaven obeys you.

11Please give us the food that we need today.

12We have forgiven people who have done wrong things to us. In the same way, please forgive us for the wrong things that we have done.

13Do not let us agree to do wrong things. Keep us safe from Satan.” ’

14Then Jesus said, ‘When other people do wrong things against you, you must forgive them. Then God, your Father in heaven, will also forgive you for the wrong things that you have done.

15But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive you.’

16Jesus then said, ‘You may decide to fast for some time. But do not look sad so that people know you are doing a special thing. Hypocrites want people to see how good they are. They make their faces dirty. Then other people can see that they are fasting. I tell you this: people have praised them and that is the only gift that they will get.