Thursday, July 9

⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? ⁴⁷And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? ⁴⁸So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

¹“Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. ²Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward! ³But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

⁵“Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward! ⁶But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. ⁷When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles because they think that by their many words they will be heard. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹So pray this way: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,

¹⁰may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹Give us today our daily bread,

¹²and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.

¹³And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

¹⁴“For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.

¹⁶“When you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they have their reward! ¹⁷When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.