The Lord's Prayer (a little different than you remember it)

[Wycliffes_Shillelagh]

A couple months ago I did my own translation of part of the sermon on the mount.  This is a kind of sequel.  I translated this myself from Greek, so it may be a little different than your version.

Matthew 6:1-15

   Be careful not to do your good deeds in front of everybody, for a show.  Otherwise, you will not have earned any great reward, at least not from our Father in the heavens.  When you go to do good deeds, don't announce your arrival, like the pretenders do in the churches and the streets, so that people will think of them as important or pious.  I'm telling you the truth: they have been paid in full!

        But when you do charitable works, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.  That way it will be a secret.  And your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you. Publicly.

        And when you pray, don't be like the pretenders!  They like to pray...IF they are standing in church, or out on the streetcorner, where they can be seen.  I'm telling you're the truth:  they have been paid in full!  But when you pray, go to your room, and when you have shut the door, then pray to your Father in the secret place.  And your Father, seeing in secret, will repay you publicly.

   Also, as you pray, don't blather on repetitively, like the infidels.  They think their prayers will be heard and granted because of how many words they say.  Don't be like them!  Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask!

Instead, pray like this:

"Our Father in the heavens, Your Name be held in reverence, Your rulership be established, Your desires come to pass...as it is in heaven, let it be like that on earth.

Let the next meal we receive from you be today.

Don't hold our debts against us, just like we aren't holding debts against others.

Please don't bring us into testing troubles!  Draw us away from the troublesome one!  The rulership, and the ability, and the importance are Yours, through the ages.  Let it be so.

[GloryB]

That was WONDERFUL!  Thank you so much!  I hope you don't mind that I cut and pasted it to keep with my own Bible Study file.  I'll now go hunt for the Sermon on the Mount translation.

I actually enjoy all of your posts.  Thanks again!