Matthew Chapter 5
The Sermon on the Mount**
1 When he saw the crowd, he went up on a hillside and sat down. His disciples joined him, 2 and he started teaching:
3 “Poor people are fortunate spiritually;
they have the kingdom of heaven.
4 “People in mourning are fortunate;
comfort will come.
5 “Humble people are fortunate;
they’ll inherit the earth.
6 “People that are hungry and thirsty for righteousness are fortunate;
they’ll be satisfied.
7 “Merciful people are fortunate;
they’ll receive mercy.
8 “People that are pure in heart are fortunate;
they’ll see God.
9 “Peacemakers are fortunate;
they’ll be called God’s children.
10 “People persecuted for living right are fortunate;
they have the kingdom of heaven.
Mt 5:1-10
11 “When people insult you, mistreat you, say all kinds of bad things about you falsely because of me, you are fortunate. 12 Be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. They treated the prophets the same way.
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt loses its saltiness, what can make it salty? It’s not good for anything but to throw out for people to walk on. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill can’t hide. 15 Nobody lights a lamp and sticks it under a basket; they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everybody in the house. 16 Let your light shine so people can see the good things you’re doing and praise your Father in heaven.
17 “Don’t get the impression that I’m here to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to destroy them, but to fulfill them. 18 Earth and sky will pass away, but not one iota or one serif* will pass away from the Law till it’s fully accomplished its purpose. 19 Whoever breaks one of its least commandments and teaches people to do that, is least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them is great in that kingdom. 20 Unless the way you live is better than the way the scribes and Pharisees live, you won’t even get into the kingdom of heaven.
Mt 5:11-20
21 “You’ve heard that God said long ago, ‘Do not commit murder’ [Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17]; ‘whoever commits murder faces condemnation.’ 22 I’m telling you, anybody that’s mad at someone faces judgment. Whoever says, ‘You good for nothing . . .’ has the court to face. Whoever says, ‘You idiot,’ faces a burning hell. 23 So if you’re taking your gift to the altar and remember your brother has something against you, 24 leave it at the altar and go reconcile with him. Then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms with your opponent quickly while you’re on the way to court with him so he doesn’t deliver you to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the court assistant, and he put you in jail. 26 You won’t get out till you pay the last penny.
27 “You’ve heard, ‘Do not commit adultery’ [Ex 20:14; Deut 5:18]. 28 I’m telling you, anybody that looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye is causing you problems, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to get thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand is causing you problems, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go to hell.
Mt 5:21-30
31 “It’s been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife has to give her divorce papers” [Deut 24:1]. 32 I’m telling you, whoever divorces his wife—except for adultery—is treating her like an adulteress, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 “Again, you’vepl heard that God said long ago, ‘Dosg not swear falsely’; ‘perform yoursg oaths to the LORD’ [Lev 19:12; Num 30:3; Deut 23:21]. 34 I’m telling youpl not to swear at all—not by heaven, it’s God’s throne; 35 not by the earth, it’s his footstool; not by Jerusalem, it’s the city of the Great King; 36 not by your head, you can’t make one hair white or black. 37 Just say ‘yes, I will’ or ‘no, I won’t’; anything more than that comes from the evil one.
Mt 5:31-37
38 “You’ve heard, ‘An eye for an eye,’ ‘a tooth for a tooth’ [Ex 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21]. 39 I’m telling you not to try to get even with evil. Whoever slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other one too. 40 If somebody sues you for your shirt, give them your coat too. 41 If somebody makes* you go one mile, go with them two. 42 Give to whoever asks you, and don’t turn away from anybody that wants to borrow from you.
43 “You’ve heard, ‘Love yoursg neighbor [Lev 19:18], and hate your enemy.’ 44 I’m telling youpl to love your enemies and pray for people that mistreat you 45 so you can be like your Father in heaven. He raises his sun on the good and the bad, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46 If you love the people that love you, what’s special about that? Don’t tax collectors do that? 47 If you just say ‘Hi’ to your buddies, what’s special about that? Don’t even pagans do that? 48 You be perfect like your Father. Mt 5:38-47