When You Pray . . .

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. ⁶But 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. ⁷In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. ⁸Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. ⁹Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. ¹⁰Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹Give us today our daily bread. ¹²Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. ¹³Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’ ¹⁴“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.