Matthew 6

(1)  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
(2)  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
(3)  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
(4)  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
(5)  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
(6)  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
(7)  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(8)  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
(9)  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which 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, for ever. Amen.
(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)  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
(17)  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
(18)  That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
(19)  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
(20)  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
(21)  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
(22)  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
(23)  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
(24)  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(25)  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
(26)  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
(27)  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
(28)  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
(29)  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
(30)  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
(31)  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(32)  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(34)  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

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Study Questions

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1. Is it possible to do the right thing in the wrong way or for the wrong motive? Explain your answer. Verse 1.

2. What was the real reason for “the hypocrites” giving alms? Verse 2.

3. Is it possible to follow this command literally? If not, what is the meaning? Verses 3-4.

4. Did “the hypocrites” sin in standing and praying publicly or in being seen of men and loving it? Verse 5.

5. Do you think it is necessary to literally enter your closet and shut the door to pray acceptably? If not, why not? Verse 6.

6. Can you think of a heathen’s prayer in the Bible that constituted vain repetition? Verse 7.

7. Can you think of some reason for praying even though your Heavenly Father already knows your needs? Verse 8.

8. What are some elements of “the Lord’s Prayer” that should be included in our prayers? Verses 9-13.

9. Does God tempt us, or only allow us to be tempted and tested? Verse 11.

10. What is the basis upon which our trespasses (sins, Luke 11:4), may be forgiven? Verses 14-15.

11. What is the difference between “treasures on earth” and “treasures in heaven?” Verses 19-20.

12. The literal meaning of the word usually translated “rust” (Greek: brōsis) is “to eat.” Following this literal meaning, what is made to disappear? Verses 19-20.

13. What does it mean to fast, and what was wrong with “the hypocrites” who fasted? Verses 16-18.

14. How do you think thieves were able to “break through” and steal in Jesus’ time? Verses 19-20.

15. Do you think Jesus prohibits prudent saving for the family or is His concern having the heart or affections set on riches and wealth? Verse 21.

16. If a man’s convictions, formed by his “eye” or world-view, are mistaken or wrongly oriented, can they be trusted to teach him the truth about wealth and worry? Verses 22-23.

17. Why can’t we serve two masters? Who or what is mammon? Verse 24.

18. The American Standard Version renders this phrase, “take no thought,” as “be not anxious.” About what are we not to be anxious? Verses 25, 31, and 34.

19. How does God feed the fowls of the air and clothe the lilies of the field, and what does this fact reveal about how He feeds and clothes us? Verses 26-30.

20. What is the point of each of the following figures?
The life more than meat, and the body more than raiment: (Verse 25)
Fowls of the air: (Verse 26)
Add one cubit unto his stature (measure of his life): (Verse 27)
Lilies and grass of the field: (Verse 28)
Gentiles seek all these things: (Verse 32)
Morrow shall take thought for the things of itself: (Verse 34)

21. What is the kingdom that we must seek first? Verse 33.

22. What is “His righteousness” that we must seek first? Verse 33.

23. What kind of “evil” was Jesus talking about? Verse 34.