Instruction about Prayer

1 It happened that while 1Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”

2 And He said to them, “aWhen you pray, say:

‘1Father, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

3 ‘Give us aeach day our 1daily bread.

4 ‘And forgive us our sins,

For we ourselves also forgive everyone who ais indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation.’ ”

5 Then He said to them, “1Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;

7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children 1and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’

8 “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet abecause of his 1persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 “So I say to you, 1aask, and it will be given to you; 2seek, and you will find; 3knock, and it will be opened to you.

10 “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

11 “Now 1suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a 2fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

12 “Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?

13 “aIf you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your 1heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”