Giving to the Needy (Deuteronomy 15:7–11)
2 UST Whenever some people give money to help poor people, they have someone announce what they are doing by playing a loud instrument in the Jewish meeting places and in the main roads. They pretend to help others, but they just want other people to praise them. God will not reward them any more than that. What I have said is true. So, you should not behave like that. BSB BSB: So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
3 UST Instead, when you give money to help poor people, you should do it as privately as possible. BSB BSB: But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 UST That way, only God your Father will know that you have given money to help poor people. When he observes you doing that privately, he will reward you. BSB BSB: so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:1–4)
5 UST Whenever some people pray to God, they enjoy doing so while standing in the Jewish meeting places and on the street corners. They pretend to focus on praying, but they just want other people to recognize them. God will not reward them any more than that. What I have said is true. So, you should not behave like that. BSB BSB: And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
6 UST In contrast, when you want to pray to God, you should go to a private room in your house and close the door. Then, you can pray to God your Father, who is there with you in private. When he observes you doing that privately, he will reward you. BSB BSB: But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 UST Further, as you are praying, do not repeat yourself as non- Jews do. They suppose that their gods will listen to them if they use many words. BSB BSB: And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.
8 UST So then, do not pray to God as they do. In fact, before you ask him{ for anything that you need}, God your Father is already aware of what you need. BSB BSB: Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
9 UST Here is how you should pray to God:‘{ I pray to} God our Father, who rules from heaven. May all people glorify you. BSB BSB: So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
10 UST May you establish your kingdom. May everyone do what you want here on earth, just as{ they already do} in heaven. BSB BSB: Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 UST Please give us the food we need each day. BSB BSB: Give us this day our daily bread.
12 UST We have forgiven people for when they did not treat us rightly. In the same way, please forgive us for when we do not act rightly. BSB BSB: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 UST Please protect us from everything that tries to make us sin. Please rescue us when Satan tries to harm us.’ BSB BSB: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
14 UST God your Father, who rules from heaven, will forgive you as long as you forgive the people who sin against you. BSB BSB: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 UST However, God your Father will not forgive you when you sin against him as long as you do not forgive other people. BSB BSB: But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
Proper Fasting 16 UST Whenever some people do not eat in order to please God, they change how their faces look. They pretend to be sad, but they just want other people to recognize that they are not eating. God will not reward them any more than that. What I have said is true. So, you should not behave like that. BSB BSB: When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
17 UST In contrast, when you do not eat in order to please God, you should keep yourselves neat and clean. BSB BSB: But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 UST That way, other people do not know that you are not eating. Only God your Father, who is there with you in private,{ will know}. When he observes you doing that privately, he will reward you BSB BSB: so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Treasures in Heaven (Luke 12:32–34)
19 UST You should not collect many valuable things for yourselves in this world. In this world, insects eat clothes, and metal objects corrode. Further, robbers force their way into people’ s houses to take their goods. BSB BSB: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 UST Rather, you should collect many valuable things for yourselves in heaven. In heaven, insects do not eat clothes, and metal objects do not corrode. Further, robbers do not force their way into people’ s houses to take their goods. BSB BSB: But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 UST { That is important} because you think and care most about the place where you collect valuable things. BSB BSB: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Lamp of the Body (Luke 11:33–36)
22 UST Your eyes are like a lamp since they enable you to see. If your eyes are working properly, then your whole body will benefit. BSB BSB: The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 UST However, if your eyes are not working properly, then your whole body does not benefit at all. So consider how bad it is when what you see as bright light is actually very dark! BSB BSB: But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 UST Servants cannot serve two different masters{ at the same time}.{ If they tried to do that,} they would hate one of them and love the other one, or they would be loyal to one of them and consider the other one to be unimportant.{ In the same way,} you cannot devote your life to serving God if you are also devoting your life to acquiring money and other material possessions. BSB BSB: No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Do Not Worry (Luke 12:22–31)
25 UST So then, here is what I want to tell you: do not worry about whether you will have enough to eat or drink to stay alive. Do not worry about whether you will have enough clothes to wear to stay warm. After all, your life is more important than the food you eat, and your body is more important than the clothes you put on it. BSB BSB: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
27 UST You cannot add even a minute to your life by worrying about it! BSB BSB: Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 UST So, you should not worry about whether you will have enough clothes to wear. Observe the way that flowers grow in a field. They do not work{ to earn money}, and they do not make their own clothes. BSB BSB: And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.
29 UST However, here is what I want to tell you: King Solomon, who{ lived long ago and} wore glorious clothes, never dressed as beautifully as a single flower. BSB BSB: Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
30 UST God makes plants beautiful, even though they grow for only a short time. Then people{ cut them down and} throw them into the fire.{ But you are very precious to God.} He will care for you even more than he cares for the plants. You should trust God more than you do! BSB BSB: If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
32 UST The people who do not know God worry about such things.{ However, you should not worry about such things} because God your Father, who rules from heaven, knows that you need them all. BSB BSB: For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 UST You should concentrate primarily on what you can do for God’ s kingdom and on doing what God considers to be right. When you do those things,{ you can trust God} to provide everything you need. BSB BSB: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
34 UST So then, do not worry about{ what will happen} tomorrow. You can worry tomorrow about what will happen during that day. Enough bad things happen each day{ that you should not worry about bad things that might happen tomorrow}. BSB BSB: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.