Instruction About Prayer

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say,

‘[fn]Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be yoʋr name.

Yoʋr kingdom come.

[fn]Yoʋr will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into [fn]temptation,

but deliver us from evil.’ ”

5 Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and yoʋ go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a [fn]friend on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him,’ 7 and he answers from inside and says, ‘Do not bother me! The door is already shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up to give yoʋ anything.’ 8 I tell you, even if he will not get up and give yoʋ anything because yoʋ are his friend, yet because of yoʋr shameless persistence, he will get up and give yoʋ as much as yoʋ need. 9 So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and for him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Now what father among [fn]you, when his son asks for bread, will give him a stone; or again, when he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent instead of a fish; 12 or again, if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give [fn]the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”