Matthew Chapter Six Poem by Day Williams

1 "Beware of doing your good deeds before
Men so that they will see you, or your Father
In heaven won't reward you,2 and so, when

You donate to a beggar, don't announce
Your deed with trumpets, as the hypocrites
Do in the synagogues and on the streets,

So men will honor them. I tell you truly,
They have received their full reward,3 but when
You donate to the needy, do not let

Your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 So that your giving may be secret. Then
Your Father, who discerns all secret acts,

Will give you your reward,5 and when you pray,
Do not be like the hypocrites who fake
Their piety by praying publicly

In synagogues and on street corners. I
Tell you the truth, they have received their full
Reward,6 but when you pray, go in your room

Close the door, then pray to your Father, who's
Invisible, and then your Father, who
Discerns what's done in secret, will reward

You.7 When you pray, don't keep on babbling like
The pagans, for they think that they'll be heard
Due to their many words: 8 Don't be like them,

Because your Father knows your needs before
You ask him.9 Therefore, this is how you should
Pray: "‘Our Father in heaven, honored be

Your name,10 your kingdom come, your will be done
On earth as it is done in heaven.11 Give
Us this day bread we need.12 Forgive our debts,

As we forgive our debtors; 13 lead us not
Into temptation, but deliver us
From evil; ' 14 for your heavenly Father will

Forgive you if you should forgive men when
They sin against you,15 but if you do not
Forgive men their sins, then your Father won't

Forgive your sins,16 and when you fast, do not
Look somber as the hypocrites do, for
They look disheveled so that people will

Feel sorry for them. Truly, they have their
Reward; 17 but when you fast, anoint your head
With oil and wash your face,18 so that it won't

Be obvious to men you're fasting, but
Only your Father, who's unseen, will see;
Your Father, to whom every secret's laid



The Sermon on the Mount

Bare, will reward you.19 Do not store up for
Yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust
Destroy, where thieves break in and steal,
20 but store

Them up in heaven, where the moth and rust
Do not destroy, where thieves do not break in
And steal,21 for where your treasure is, your heart

Will also be.22 The eye's the body's lamp,
So if your eyes are good, all of your body
Will be light-filled,23 but if your eyes are bad,

All of your body will be dark. If then
The light in you is dark, how great is that
Darkness! 24 No one can serve two masters. He

Will either hate the one and love the other,
Or he will be devoted to the one
And hate the other. You can't serve both God

And Money,25 so I tell you, do not worry
About your life, what you will eat or drink,
Or what you'll wear. Is there not more to life

Than food and clothes? 26 Look at the birds! They do
Not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are

You not much more valuable than they?
27 Will all your worries make your life one hour
Longer? 28 And why get worried over clothes?

Look at the lilies of the field. They do
Not work or spin,29 and yet King Solomon
In all his glory never was arrayed

So beautifully,30 so if God cares so much
For flowers, which are here today and then
Tomorrow thrown into the fire, will he

Not much more clothe you, you of little faith?
31 So do not worry and don't say, ‘What shall
We eat or drink or wear? ' 32 Because the pagans

Pursue these things; your Father up in heaven
Knows that you need them; 33 but seek first
his kingdom
And righteousness, and He'll give you
these things

As well,34 and so don't fret about tomorrow;
Tomorrow will concern itself with its own.
Each day has plenty trouble all alone."