Matthew 5
5
Jesus Teaches the People
1Jesus saw the crowds who were there. He went up on a hill and sat down. His followers came to him. 2Jesus taught the people and said:
3“Those people who know they have great spiritual needs are happy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4Those who are sad now are happy.
God will comfort them.
5Those who are humble are happy.
The earth will belong to them.
6Those who want to do right more than anything else are happy.
God will fully satisfy them.
7Those who give mercy to others are happy.
Mercy will be given to them.
8Those who are pure in their thinking are happy.
They will be with God.
9Those who work to bring peace are happy.
God will call them his sons.
10Those who are treated badly for doing good are happy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11“People will say bad things about you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do these things to you, you are happy. 12Rejoice and be glad. You have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you.
You Are Like Salt and Light
13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing. It must be thrown out for people to walk on.
14“You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put the light on a lampstand. Then the light shines for all the people in the house. 16In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do. Live so that they will praise your Father in heaven.
The Importance of the Law
17“Don’t think that I have come to destroy the law of Moses or the teaching of the prophets. I have not come to destroy their teachings but to do what they said. 18I tell you the truth. Nothing will disappear from the law until heaven and earth are gone. The law will not lose even the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter until all has happened. 19Whoever refuses to obey any command and teaches other people not to obey that command will be the least important in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys the law and teaches other people to obey the law will be great in the kingdom of heaven. 20I tell you that you must do better than the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. If you are not better than they are, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus Teaches About Anger
21“You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘You must not murder anyone.# Quotation from Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17. Anyone who murders another will be judged.’ 22But I tell you, if you are angry with your brother,# Some Greek copies continue, “without a reason.” you will be judged. And if you say bad things to your brother, you will be judged by the Jewish council. And if you call your brother a fool, then you will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23“So when you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with him. Then come and offer your gift.
25“If your enemy is taking you to court, become friends with him quickly. You should do that before you go to court. If you don’t become his friend, he might turn you over to the judge. And the judge might give you to a guard to put you in jail. 26I tell you that you will not leave that jail until you have paid everything you owe.
Jesus Teaches About Adultery
27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You must not be guilty of adultery.’# Quotation from Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18. 28But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman with lust, he has already committed adultery with her in his mind. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, then take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30If your right hand causes you to sin, then cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Jesus Teaches About Divorce
31“It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written divorce paper.’# Quotation from Deuteronomy 24:1. 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife is causing his wife to be guilty of adultery. The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if she has been unfaithful to him. And anyone who marries that divorced woman is guilty of adultery.
Make Promises Carefully
33“You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘When you make a promise, don’t break your promise. Keep the promises that you make to the Lord.’# Quotation from Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21. 34But I tell you, never make an oath. Don’t make an oath using the name of heaven, because heaven is God’s throne. 35Don’t make an oath using the name of the earth, because the earth belongs to God. Don’t make an oath using the name of Jerusalem, because that is the city of the great King. 36And don’t even say that your own head is proof that you will keep your oath. You cannot make one hair on your head become white or black. 37Say only ‘yes’ if you mean ‘yes,’ and say only ‘no’ if you mean ‘no.’ If you must say more than ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ it is from the Evil One.
Don’t Fight Back
38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’# Quotation from Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21. 39But I tell you, don’t stand up against an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, then turn and let him slap the other cheek too. 40If someone wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, then let him have your coat too. 41If a soldier forces you to go with him one mile, then go with him two miles. 42If a person asks you for something, then give it to him. Don’t refuse to give to a person who wants to borrow from you.
Love All People
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor# Quotation from Leviticus 19:18. and hate your enemies.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.# Some Greek copies continue, “Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.” Compare Luke 6:28. 45If you do this, then you will be true sons of your Father in heaven. Your Father causes the sun to rise on good people and on bad people. Your Father sends rain to those who do good and to those who do wrong. 46If you love only the people who love you, then you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. 47And if you are nice only to your friends, then you are no better than other people. Even people without God are nice to their friends. 48So you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Matthew 5
5
1But seeing the crowds, he went up into the mountain, and having sat down, his disciples came to him; 2and, having opened his mouth, he taught them, saying,
3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. 4Blessed they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7Blessed the merciful, for they shall find mercy. 8Blessed the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9Blessed the peace-makers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10Blessed they who are persecuted on account of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. 11Blessed are ye when they may reproach and persecute you, and say every wicked thing against you, lying, for my sake. 12Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus have they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have become insipid, wherewith shall it be salted? It is no longer fit for anything but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot by men. 14Ye are the light of the world: a city situated on the top of a mountain cannot be hid. 15Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lamp-stand, and it shines for all who are in the house. 16Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.
17Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass. 19Whosoever then shall do away with one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall practise and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. 20For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
21Ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not kill; but whosoever shall kill shall be subject to the judgment. 22But I say unto you, that every one that is lightly angry with his brother shall be subject to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be subject to be called before the sanhedrim; but whosoever shall say, Fool, shall be subject to the penalty of the hell of fire. 23If therefore thou shouldest offer thy gift at the altar, and there shouldest remember that thy brother has something against thee, 24leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25Make friends with thine adverse party quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest some time the adverse party deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26Verily I say to thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing.
27Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt not commit adultery. 28But I say unto you, that every one who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29But if thy right eye be a snare to thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand be a snare to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. 31It has been said too, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a letter of divorce. 32But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for cause of fornication, makes her commit adultery, and whosoever marries one that is put away commits adultery.
33Again, ye have heard that it has been said to the ancients, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt render to the Lord what thou hast sworn. 34But I say unto you, Do not swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is the throne of God; 35nor by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37But let your word be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; but what is more than these is from evil.
38Ye have heard that it has been said, Eye for eye and tooth for tooth. 39But I say unto you, not to resist evil; but whoever shall strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; 40and to him that would go to law with thee and take thy body coat, leave him thy cloak also. 41And whoever will compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. 42To him that asks of thee give, and from him that desires to borrow of thee turn not away.
43Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who insult you and persecute you, 45that ye may be the sons of your Father who is in the heavens; for he makes his sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on just and unjust. 46For if ye should love those who love you, what reward have ye? Do not also the tax-gatherers the same? 47And if ye should salute your brethren only, what do ye extraordinary? Do not also the Gentiles the same? 48Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.