1 THEN HE was praying in a certain place; and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, [just] as John taught his disciples.
2 And He said to them, When you pray, say: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come. Your will be done [held holy and revered] on earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us daily our bread [ 1 food for the morrow]. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us [who has offended us or done us wrong]. And bring us not into temptation but rescue us from evil.
5 And He said to them, Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and will say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves [of bread], 6 For a friend of mine who is on a journey has just come, and I have nothing to put before him; 7 And he from within will answer, Do not disturb me; the door is now closed, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and supply you [with anything]? 8 I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 So I say to you, Ask and 2 keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and 2 keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and 2 keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and 5 keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and 5 keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and 5 keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for 8 a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts 9 that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and 10 continue to ask Him!