1 Samuel 20-21
New Living Translation
Jonathan Helps David
20 David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?”
2 “That’s not true!” Jonathan protested. “You’re not going to die. He always tells me everything he’s going to do, even the little things. I know my father wouldn’t hide something like this from me. It just isn’t so!”
3 Then David took an oath before Jonathan and said, “Your father knows perfectly well about our friendship, so he has said to himself, ‘I won’t tell Jonathan—why should I hurt him?’ But I swear to you that I am only a step away from death! I swear it by the Lord and by your own soul!”
4 “Tell me what I can do to help you,” Jonathan exclaimed.
5 David replied, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. I’ve always eaten with the king on this occasion, but tomorrow I’ll hide in the field and stay there until the evening of the third day. 6 If your father asks where I am, tell him I asked permission to go home to Bethlehem for an annual family sacrifice. 7 If he says, ‘Fine!’ you will know all is well. But if he is angry and loses his temper, you will know he is determined to kill me. 8 Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the Lord—or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”
9 “Never!” Jonathan exclaimed. “You know that if I had the slightest notion my father was planning to kill you, I would tell you at once.”
10 Then David asked, “How will I know whether or not your father is angry?”
11 “Come out to the field with me,” Jonathan replied. And they went out there together. 12 Then Jonathan told David, “I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel, that by this time tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, I will talk to my father and let you know at once how he feels about you. If he speaks favorably about you, I will let you know. 13 But if he is angry and wants you killed, may the Lord strike me and even kill me if I don’t warn you so you can escape and live. May the Lord be with you as he used to be with my father. 14 And may you treat me with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live. But if I die, 15 treat my family with this faithful love, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.”
16 So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David,[a] saying, “May the Lord destroy all your enemies!” 17 And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
18 Then Jonathan said, “Tomorrow we celebrate the new moon festival. You will be missed when your place at the table is empty. 19 The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid before, and wait there by the stone pile.[b] 20 I will come out and shoot three arrows to the side of the stone pile as though I were shooting at a target. 21 Then I will send a boy to bring the arrows back. If you hear me tell him, ‘They’re on this side,’ then you will know, as surely as the Lord lives, that all is well, and there is no trouble. 22 But if I tell him, ‘Go farther—the arrows are still ahead of you,’ then it will mean that you must leave immediately, for the Lord is sending you away. 23 And may the Lord make us keep our promises to each other, for he has witnessed them.”
24 So David hid himself in the field, and when the new moon festival began, the king sat down to eat. 25 He sat at his usual place against the wall, with Jonathan sitting opposite him[c] and Abner beside him. But David’s place was empty. 26 Saul didn’t say anything about it that day, for he said to himself, “Something must have made David ceremonially unclean.” 27 But when David’s place was empty again the next day, Saul asked Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse been here for the meal either yesterday or today?”
28 Jonathan replied, “David earnestly asked me if he could go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Please let me go, for we are having a family sacrifice. My brother demanded that I be there. So please let me get away to see my brothers.’ That’s why he isn’t here at the king’s table.”
30 Saul boiled with rage at Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!”[d] he swore at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want him to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother? 31 As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!”
32 “But why should he be put to death?” Jonathan asked his father. “What has he done?” 33 Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him. So at last Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.
34 Jonathan left the table in fierce anger and refused to eat on that second day of the festival, for he was crushed by his father’s shameful behavior toward David.
35 The next morning, as agreed, Jonathan went out into the field and took a young boy with him to gather his arrows. 36 “Start running,” he told the boy, “so you can find the arrows as I shoot them.” So the boy ran, and Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy had almost reached the arrow, Jonathan shouted, “The arrow is still ahead of you. 38 Hurry, hurry, don’t wait.” So the boy quickly gathered up the arrows and ran back to his master. 39 He, of course, suspected nothing; only Jonathan and David understood the signal. 40 Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him to take them back to town.
41 As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile.[e] Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.
42 At last Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.” Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the town.[f]
David Runs from Saul
21 [g]David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?”
2 “The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. 3 Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.”
4 “We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied. “But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.”
5 “Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!”
6 Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread.
7 Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the Lord.[h]
8 David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword? The king’s business was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to grab a weapon!”
9 “I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,” the priest replied. “It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.”
“There is nothing like it!” David replied. “Give it to me!”
10 So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. 11 But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his ten thousands’?”
12 David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. 13 So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.
14 Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? 15 We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”
Footnotes
- 20:16 Hebrew with the house of David.
- 20:19 Hebrew the stone Ezel. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 20:25 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads with Jonathan standing.
- 20:30 Hebrew You son of a perverse and rebellious woman.
- 20:41 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads near the south edge.
- 20:42 This sentence is numbered 21:1 in Hebrew text.
- 21:1 Verses 21:1-15 are numbered 21:2-16 in Hebrew text.
- 21:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
1 Samuel 20-21
New American Standard Bible
David and Jonathan’s Covenant
20 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and he came and (A)said [a]to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he is seeking my life?” 2 He said to him, “Far from it, you shall not die! Behold, my father does nothing either great or small [b]without informing me. So why would my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!” 3 Yet David (B)vowed again, [c]saying, “Your father is well aware that I have found favor in your sight, and he has said, ‘Jonathan is not to know this, otherwise he will be worried.’ But indeed (C)as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is [d]just a step between me and death.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever [e]you say, I will do for you.” 5 So David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is (D)the new moon, and I am obligated (E)to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go (F)so that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening. 6 If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly requested leave of me to run to (G)Bethlehem, his city, because it is (H)the yearly sacrifice there for the whole family.’ 7 If he [f]says, ‘That is good,’ your servant will be safe; but if he is very angry, (I)be aware that he has decided on evil. 8 So deal kindly with your servant, for (J)you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. But (K)if [g]I am guilty of wrongdoing, kill me yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?” 9 Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I in fact learn that my father has decided [h]to inflict harm on you, would I not inform you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will inform me [i]if your father answers you harshly?” 11 Jonathan said to David, “Come, and let’s go out to the field.” So both of them went out to the field.
12 Then Jonathan said to David, “The Lord, the God of Israel, is my witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow or the third day, behold, if he has a good feeling toward [j]you, shall I not then send word to you and [k]inform you? 13 If it pleases my father to do you harm, (L)may the Lord do so to [l]me and more so, if I fail to [m]inform you and send you away, so that you may go in safety. And (M)may the Lord be with you as He has been with my father. 14 And if I am still alive, will you not show me the faithfulness of the Lord, so that I do not die? 15 And (N)you shall never cut off your loyalty to my house, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “(O)May the Lord demand it from the hands of David’s enemies.” 17 And Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because (P)he loved him as he loved his own life.
18 Then Jonathan said to him, “(Q)Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed since your seat will be empty. 19 When you have stayed for three days, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself on that eventful day, and you shall remain beside the stone Ezel. 20 And I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. 21 Then behold, I will send the boy, telling him, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I specifically say to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then come, because it is safe for you and there is nothing to harm you, as the Lord lives. 22 But if I [n]say to the youth, ‘(R)Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ go, because the Lord has sent you away. 23 (S)As for the [o]agreement of which you and I have spoken, behold, (T)the Lord is between you and me forever.”
24 So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25 Now the king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan stood up and Abner sat down by Saul’s side; but (U)David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul did not say anything that day, because he thought, “It must have been an [p]accident; (V)he is not clean, undoubtedly he is not clean.” 27 But it came about the next day, the second day of the new moon, that David’s place was empty again; so Saul said to his son Jonathan, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” 28 And Jonathan answered Saul, “(W)David earnestly requested leave of me to go to Bethlehem. 29 He said, ‘Please let me go, because our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has ordered me to attend. So now, if I have found favor in your sight, please let me slip away so that I may see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”
Saul Is Angry with Jonathan
30 Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? 31 For, [q]as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now then, send men and bring him to me, for (X)he is [r]doomed to die!” 32 But Jonathan replied to his father Saul and said to him, “(Y)Why must he be put to death? What has he done?” 33 Then (Z)Saul hurled his spear at him to strike and kill him; (AA)so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death. 34 Then Jonathan got up from the table in the heat of anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, because he was worried about David since his father had insulted him.
35 Now it came about in the morning that Jonathan went out to the field at the time agreed upon with David, and a little boy was with him. 36 He said to his boy, “(AB)Run, find now the arrows which I am about to shoot.” The boy ran, and he shot [s]an arrow past him. 37 When the boy reached the location of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the boy and said, “(AC)Is the arrow not beyond you?” 38 Then Jonathan called after the boy, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” And Jonathan’s boy picked up the arrow and came to his master. 39 But the boy was not aware of anything; only Jonathan and David knew about the matter. 40 Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy and said to him, “Go, bring them to the city.” 41 When the boy was gone, David got up from the south side, then he fell on his face to the ground and (AD)bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, until (AE)David wept immeasurably. 42 Then Jonathan said to David, “(AF)Go [t]in safety, since we have sworn to each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘(AG)The Lord will be between me and you, and between my [u]descendants and your [v]descendants forever.’” [w]So David set out and went on his way, while Jonathan went into the city.
David Takes Consecrated Bread
21 Then David came to (AH)Nob, to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech (AI)came trembling to meet David and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” 2 David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commissioned me with a matter and has said to me, ‘(AJ)No one is to know anything about the matter on which I am sending you and with which I have commissioned you; and I have directed the young men to a certain place.’ 3 Now then, what [x]do you have on hand? Give [y]me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.” 4 The priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread [z]on hand, but there is (AK)consecrated bread, if only the young men have (AL)kept themselves from women.” 5 David answered the priest and said to him, “(AM)Be assured, women have been denied to us as previously when I left and the [aa](AN)bodies of the young men were consecrated, though it was an ordinary journey; how much more then will [ab]their bodies be consecrated today?” 6 So (AO)the priest gave him consecrated bread; for there was no bread there except the (AP)bread of the Presence which was removed from its place before the Lord, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day it was taken away.
7 Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was (AQ)Doeg the Edomite, the (AR)chief of Saul’s shepherds.
8 David said to Ahimelech, “Now is there no spear or sword [ac]on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons [ad]with me, because the king’s matter was urgent.” 9 Then the priest said, “(AS)The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you [ae]killed (AT)in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, take it. For there is no other except it here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
10 Then David set out and fled that day from Saul, and went to (AU)Achish king of Gath. 11 But the (AV)servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? (AW)Did they not sing of this one as they danced, saying,
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”
12 David (AX)took these words [af]to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. 13 So he (AY)disguised his sanity while in their sight and acted insanely in their [ag]custody, and he scribbled on the doors of the gate, and drooled on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is behaving like an insane person. Why do you bring him to me? 15 Do I lack insane people, that you have brought this one to behave like an insane person in my presence? Shall this one come into my house?”
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 20:1 Lit before
- 1 Samuel 20:2 Lit and he does not uncover my ear
- 1 Samuel 20:3 Lit and said
- 1 Samuel 20:3 Lit about
- 1 Samuel 20:4 Lit your soul says
- 1 Samuel 20:7 Lit says thus
- 1 Samuel 20:8 Lit guilt exists in me
- 1 Samuel 20:9 Lit evil to come on
- 1 Samuel 20:10 As in ancient versions; MT or what your father
- 1 Samuel 20:12 Lit David
- 1 Samuel 20:12 Lit uncover your ear
- 1 Samuel 20:13 Lit Jonathan
- 1 Samuel 20:13 Lit uncover your ear
- 1 Samuel 20:22 Lit say thus
- 1 Samuel 20:23 Lit word
- 1 Samuel 20:26 I.e., accident of ritual pollution
- 1 Samuel 20:31 Lit all the days which
- 1 Samuel 20:31 Lit a son of death
- 1 Samuel 20:36 Lit the
- 1 Samuel 20:42 Lit to peace
- 1 Samuel 20:42 Lit seed
- 1 Samuel 20:42 Lit seed
- 1 Samuel 20:42 Ch 21:1 in Heb
- 1 Samuel 21:3 Lit is there under your hand?
- 1 Samuel 21:3 Lit into my hand
- 1 Samuel 21:4 Lit under my hand
- 1 Samuel 21:5 Lit vessels
- 1 Samuel 21:5 Lit it be holy in the vessel
- 1 Samuel 21:8 Lit under your hand
- 1 Samuel 21:8 Lit in my hand
- 1 Samuel 21:9 Lit struck
- 1 Samuel 21:12 Lit in his
- 1 Samuel 21:13 Lit hand
Psalm 34
New Living Translation
Psalm 34[a]
A psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away.
1 I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
2 I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.
4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
9 Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
12 Does anyone want to live a life
that is long and prosperous?
13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies!
14 Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
15 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil;
he will erase their memory from the earth.
17 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
19 The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
20 For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;
not one of them is broken!
21 Calamity will surely destroy the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22 But the Lord will redeem those who serve him.
No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
Footnotes
- 34 This psalm is a Hebrew acrostic poem; each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Psalm 34
New American Standard Bible
The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me.
A Psalm of David, when he pretended to be insane before [a]Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
34 I will (A)bless the Lord at all times;
His (B)praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will (C)make its boast in the Lord;
The (D)humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 (E)Exalt the Lord with me,
And let’s (F)exalt His name together.
4 I (G)sought the Lord and He answered me,
And (H)rescued me from all my fears.
5 They (I)looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will (J)never be ashamed.
6 This wretched man cried out, and (K)the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The (L)angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
8 (M)Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How (N)blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 Fear the Lord, you (O)His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is (P)no lack of anything.
10 The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord will (Q)not lack any good thing.
11 (R)Come, you children, listen to me;
(S)I will teach you (T)the fear of the Lord.
12 (U)Who is the person who desires life
And loves length of days, that he may (V)see good?
13 Keep (W)your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking (X)deceit.
14 (Y)Turn from evil and do good;
Seek peace and (Z)pursue it.
15 The (AA)eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears are toward their cry for help.
16 The (AB)face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To (AC)eliminate the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous (AD)cry out, and the Lord hears
And rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord (AE)is near to the (AF)brokenhearted
And saves those who are [b](AG)crushed in spirit.
19 (AH)The (AI)afflictions of the righteous are many,
But the Lord (AJ)rescues him from them all.
20 He protects all his bones,
(AK)Not one of them is broken.
21 (AL)Evil will bring death to the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.
22 The Lord (AM)redeems the souls of His servants,
And none of those who (AN)take refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt.
Footnotes
- Psalm 34 Title Possibly a title of King Achish of Gath, see 1 Sam 21:10-15
- Psalm 34:18 Or contrite
Matthew 5
New Living Translation
The Sermon on the Mount
5 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,[a]
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,[b]
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
Teaching about Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Teaching about the Law
17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’[c] 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone,[d] you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[e] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[f] you are in danger of the fires of hell.[g]
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[h] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.[i]
Teaching about Adultery
27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’[j] 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your eye—even your good eye[k]—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand[l]—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Teaching about Divorce
31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’[m] 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
Teaching about Vows
33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’[n] 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Teaching about Revenge
38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’[o] 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,[p] carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.
Teaching about Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[q] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies![r] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends,[s] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes
- 5:3 Greek poor in spirit.
- 5:6 Or for righteousness.
- 5:21 Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17.
- 5:22a Some manuscripts add without cause.
- 5:22b Greek uses an Aramaic term of contempt: If you say to your brother, ‘Raca.’
- 5:22c Greek if you say, ‘You fool.’
- 5:22d Greek Gehenna; also in 5:29, 30.
- 5:23 Greek gift; also in 5:24.
- 5:26 Greek the last kodrantes [i.e., quadrans].
- 5:27 Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18.
- 5:29 Greek your right eye.
- 5:30 Greek your right hand.
- 5:31 Deut 24:1.
- 5:33 Num 30:2.
- 5:38 Greek the law that says: ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21.
- 5:41 Greek milion [4,854 feet or 1,478 meters].
- 5:43 Lev 19:18.
- 5:44 Some manuscripts add Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Compare Luke 6:27-28.
- 5:47 Greek your brothers.
Matthew 5
New American Standard Bible
The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes
5 (A)Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on (B)the [a]mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 And (C)He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
3 “[b](D)Blessed are the poor in spirit, for (E)theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are (F)those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are (G)the [c]gentle, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are (H)those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are (I)the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are (J)the pure in heart, for (K)they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for (L)they will be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who have been (M)persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for (N)theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people (O)insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for (P)in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Disciples and the World
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but (Q)if the salt has become tasteless, how [d]can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.
14 “You are (R)the light of the world. A city set on a [e]hill cannot be hidden; 15 (S)nor do people light a lamp and put it under a [f]basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may (T)see your good works, and (U)glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17 “Do not presume that I came to abolish the (V)Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, (W)until heaven and earth pass away, not [g]the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished! 19 Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [h]others to do the same, shall be called least (X)in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [i]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 “For I say to you that unless your (Y)righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Personal Relationships
21 “(Z)You have heard that [j]the ancients were told, ‘(AA)You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to (AB)the court.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to (AC)the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘[k]You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to [l](AD)the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the [m](AE)fiery hell. 23 Therefore, if you are (AF)presenting your [n]offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your [o]offering there before the altar and go; first be (AG)reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your [p]offering. 25 (AH)[q]Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, (AI)you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last [r]quadrans.
27 “(AJ)You have heard that it was said, ‘(AK)You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman (AL)with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 Now (AM)if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, [s]than for your whole body to be thrown into [t](AN)hell. 30 And (AO)if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you [u]to lose one of the parts of your body, [v]than for your whole body to go into [w](AP)hell.
31 “Now it was said, ‘(AQ)Whoever sends his wife away is to give her a certificate of divorce’; 32 (AR)but I say to you that everyone who [x]divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a [y]divorced woman commits adultery.
33 “Again, (AS)you have heard that [z]the ancients were told, ‘[aa](AT)You shall not [ab]make false vows, but shall fulfill your [ac]vows to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, (AU)take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is (AV)the throne of God, 35 nor by the earth, for it is the (AW)footstool of His feet, nor [ad]by Jerusalem, for it is (AX)the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But make sure your statement is, ‘[ae]Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is [af]of (AY)evil origin.
38 “(AZ)You have heard that it was said, ‘(BA)Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but (BB)whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your [ag]tunic, let him have your [ah]cloak also. 41 Whoever [ai]forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 (BC)Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
43 “(BD)You have heard that it was said, ‘(BE)You shall love your neighbor (BF)and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, (BG)love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may prove yourselves to be (BH)sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For (BI)if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? 48 Therefore (BJ)you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:1 Or hill
- Matthew 5:3 I.e., fortunate or prosperous, and so through v 11
- Matthew 5:5 Or humble, meek
- Matthew 5:13 Lit will
- Matthew 5:14 Or mountain
- Matthew 5:15 Lit peck-measure
- Matthew 5:18 Lit one iota (Heb yodh) or one projection (serif)
- Matthew 5:19 Lit people
- Matthew 5:19 Lit does
- Matthew 5:21 Lit it was said to the ancients
- Matthew 5:22 Or You empty-head; Gr Raka (Raca) from Aramaic reqa
- Matthew 5:22 Lit the Sanhedrin; i.e., Jewish High Court
- Matthew 5:22 Lit Gehenna of fire
- Matthew 5:23 Or gift
- Matthew 5:24 Or gift
- Matthew 5:24 Or gift
- Matthew 5:25 I.e., settle the case
- Matthew 5:26 A small Roman copper coin, worth about 1/64 of a laborer’s daily wage
- Matthew 5:29 Lit and that your whole body not be
- Matthew 5:29 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 5:30 Lit that one...be lost
- Matthew 5:30 Lit and not your whole body
- Matthew 5:30 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 5:32 Lit sends away, the Heb term for divorce
- Matthew 5:32 Lit woman sent away
- Matthew 5:33 Lit it was said to the ancients
- Matthew 5:33 you and your are singular here
- Matthew 5:33 Or break your vows
- Matthew 5:33 Lit oaths
- Matthew 5:35 Or toward
- Matthew 5:37 I.e., a clear “yes” or “no”
- Matthew 5:37 Or from the evil one
- Matthew 5:40 A long shirt worn next to the skin
- Matthew 5:40 Or outer garment
- Matthew 5:41 Lit will force
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
