pagans make food and drink their aim in life, but your Father knows quite well you need that;
(pagans make all that their aim in life) for your heavenly Father knows quite well you need all that.
you must not copy them; your Father knows your needs before you ask him.
Now in the Lord I insist and protest that you must give up living like pagans; for their purposes are futile,
Fear not, you little flock, for your Father is delighted to give you the Realm.
So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that a single one of these little ones should be lost.
not to gratify sensual passion like the Gentiles in their ignorance of God —
for you are not the speakers, it is the Spirit of your Father that is speaking through you.
and if you only salute your friends, what is special about that? do not the very pagans do as much?
Jesus said, "Cease clinging to me. I have not ascended yet to the Father, but go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and yours, to my God and yours.'"
Take care not to practise your charity before men in order to be noticed; otherwise you get no reward from your Father in heaven. No,
So do not seek food and drink and be worried;
only seek his Realm, and it will be yours over and above.