Matthew chapter 6

The Lord Jesus teaches us how to give to needy people, how to pray, and how to fast. He tells us to live for heavenly treasures, and to seek God not money.

 


 

HOW TO GIVE TO THE NEEDY

 

VERSE 1. “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

 

VERSE 2. Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

don’t sound a trumpet. This verse makes it seem like we should hide the “light” of our good deeds.

In ancient days, a candle burned in the Tent of Meeting. But in our day, the light is to shine from within us. How can you let your light shine? Read more »

 

VERSE 3. But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does,

Sirach 12:1. If you do good, know to whom you do it; And your good deeds will have thanks.

 

VERSE 4. so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Sirach 12:1. If you do good, know to whom you do it; And your good deeds will have thanks.

 

HOW TO PRAY

This passage reminds us of the “The Way of a Pilgrim.” That is a famous book about praying continually.

 

VERSE 5. “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.

The Lord Jesus Christ forbids his followers from praying in front of people. Read more »

 

VERSE 6. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

enter into your inner room. The Lord Jesus Christ forbids his followers from praying in front of people. Read more »

 

VERSE 7. In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

don’t use vain repetitions. The human tendency during prayer is to use words, and lots of them. In our day, many professing Christians use repetitive prayers.

Sirach 7:14. Prate not in the multitude of elders; And repeat not your words in your prayer.

 

VERSE 8. Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.

don’t be like them. We are not to pray with repetitive words. Jesus calls us to a prayer life that is not repetitive. We are commanded to not pray with repetitive words.

Isaiah 65:24. It will happen that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

 

VERSE 9. Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

 

VERSE 10. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

 

VERSE 11. Give us today our daily bread.

 

VERSE 12. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

 

VERSE 13. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’

 

VERSE 14. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

Sirach 28:2. Forgive your neighbor the hurt that he has done you; And then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.

 

VERSE 15. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

HOW TO FAST

 

VERSE 16. “Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

Psalm 109:24. My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

 

VERSE 17. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

Psalm 109:24. My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

 

VERSE 18. so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Psalm 109:24. My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

 

LIVE FOR HEAVENLY TREASURES

 

VERSE 19. “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth. The Lord Jesus calls us to sell our possessions and give the money to poor people. When we do this we are building up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Read more »

 

VERSE 20. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal;

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. The Lord Jesus calls us to sell our possessions and give the money to poor people. When we do this we are building up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Read more »

The Bible calls us to support the people who teach us in the faith. Read more »

 

VERSE 21. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

where your treasure is. To simplify your life is a way to store up treasures in heaven. That is because you give away possessions.

Sirach 29:11. Bestow your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High; And it shall profit you more than gold.

The Bible calls us to support the people who teach us in the faith. Read more »

 

VERSE 22. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light.

 

VERSE 23. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

 

SEEK GOD NOT MONEY

 

VERSE 24. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

In our day many Christians serve two masters. They profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But their real master is money. Read more »

 

VERSE 25. Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

don’t be anxious for your life. Are you able to live without worry?

 

VERSE 26. See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?

 

VERSE 27. “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment‡ to his lifespan?

 

VERSE 28. Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,

 

VERSE 29. yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.

 

VERSE 30. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?

 

VERSE 31. “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’

 

VERSE 32. For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

 

VERSE 33. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

seek first God’s Kingdom. Seeking the kingdom of God is to be our number one priority. Yet for many of us, our use of time and money show that it is a low priority. Read more »

 

VERSE 34. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

 


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MATTHEW

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Commands, Spirituality

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.