1. One time Jesus was praying in a place. When he finished, one of his followers said to him, “John taught his followers how to pray. Lord, please teach us how to pray, too.”
2. Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say:‘Father, we pray that your name will always be kept holy.We pray that your kingdom will come.
3. Give us the food we need for each day.
4. Forgive us the sins we have done,because we forgive every person who has done wrong to us.And do not cause us to be tested.’”
5-6. Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you went to your friend’s house at midnight and said to him, ‘A friend of mine has come into town to visit me. But I have nothing for him to eat. Please loan me three loaves of bread.’
7. Your friend inside the house answers, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked. My children and I are in bed. I cannot get up and give you the bread now.’
8. I tell you, maybe friendship is not enough to make him get up to give you the bread. But he will surely get up to give you what you need if you continue to ask.
9. So I tell you, continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you.
10. Yes, if a person continues asking, he will receive. If he continues searching, he will find. And if he continues knocking, the door will open for him.
11. What would you fathers do if your son asks you for a fish? Would any of you give him a snake?
12. Or, if your son asks for an egg, would you give him a scorpion?
13. Even though you are bad, you know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father knows how to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
14. One time Jesus was sending a demon out of a man who could not talk. When the demon came out, the man was able to speak. The people were amazed.
15. But some of them said, “Jesus uses the power of Beelzebul to force demons out of people. Beelzebul is the ruler of demons.”
16. Other people wanted to test Jesus. They asked him to give them a sign from heaven.