Matthew 5-9

Lexham English Bible

The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes

5 Now when he^[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain and after he^[b] sat down, his disciples approached him. ² And opening his mouth he began to teach them, saying,

The Sermon on the Mount: Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, by what will it be made salty? It is good for nothing any longer except to be thrown outside and^[c] trampled under foot by people. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city located on top of a hill cannot be hidden, ¹⁵ nor do they light a lamp and place it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

The Sermon on the Mount: The Law and the Prophets Fulfilled

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place. ¹⁹ Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I say to you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The Sermon on the Mount: Anger Toward Others

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people of old,^[d] ‘Do not commit murder,’^[e] and ‘whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Stupid fool!’^[f] will be subject to the council, and whoever says, ‘Obstinate fool!’^[g] will be subject to fiery hell. ²³ Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and first go be reconciled to your brother, and then come and^[h] present your gift. ²⁵ Settle the case quickly with your accuser^[i] while you are with him on the way, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I say to you, you will never come out of there until you have paid back the last penny!

The Sermon on the Mount: Adultery and Lust

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’^{[j] 28} But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell.

The Sermon on the Mount: Divorce

³¹ “And it was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’^{[k] 32} But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

The Sermon on the Mount: Taking Oaths

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to the people of old,^[l] ‘Do not swear falsely,^[m] but fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’^{[n] 34} But I say to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, because it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king. ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your statement be ‘Yes, yes; no, no,’ and anything beyond these is from the evil one.^[o]

The Sermon on the Mount: Retaliation

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’^{[p] 39} But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer, but whoever strikes you on the right cheek,^[q] turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ And the one who wants to go to court with you and take your tunic, let him have^[r] your outer garment also. ⁴¹ And whoever forces you to go one mile,^[s] go with him two. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

The Sermon on the Mount: Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’^[t] and ‘Hate your enemy.’^{[u] 44} But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, because he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not the tax collectors also do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not the Gentiles also do the same? ⁴⁸ Therefore you be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The Sermon on the Mount: Charitable Giving

6 “And take care not to practice your righteousness before people to be seen by them; otherwise^[v] you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. ² Therefore whenever you practice charitable giving, do not sound a trumpet in front of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, in order that they may be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full! ³ But you, when you^[w] practice charitable giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ in order that your charitable giving may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Sermon on the Mount: How to Pray

⁵ And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to stand and^[x] pray in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, in order that they may be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full! ⁶ But whenever you pray, enter into your inner room and shut your door and^[y] pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

⁷ “But when you^[z] pray, do not babble repetitiously like the pagans, for they think that because of their many words they will be heard. ⁸ Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need^[aa] before you ask him. ⁹ Therefore you pray in this way:

¹⁴ For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

The Sermon on the Mount: How to Fast

¹⁶ “Whenever you fast, do not be sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unrecognizable in order that they may be seen fasting by people. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward in full! ¹⁷ But when^[ac] you are fasting, put olive oil on your head^[ad] and wash your face ¹⁸ so that you will not be seen by people as fasting, but to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Sermon on the Mount: Treasure in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and consuming insect^[ae] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor consuming insect^[af] destroy and where thieves do not break in or steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore if your eye is sincere, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore if the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

²⁴ “No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.^[ag]

The Sermon on the Mount: Anxiety

²⁵ “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, what you will eat,^[ah] and not for your body, what you will wear. Is your life not more than food and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Consider the birds of the sky, that they do not sow or reap or gather produce into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? ²⁷ And who among you, by^[ai] being anxious, is able to add one hour^[aj] to his life span? ²⁸ And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe the lilies of the field, how they grow: they do not toil or spin, ²⁹ but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God dresses the grass of the field in this way, although it^[ak] is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not do so much more for you, you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?,’ ³² for the pagans seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and righteousness,^[al] and all these things will be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, because tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.^[am]

The Sermon on the Mount: On Judging Others

7 “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. ² For by what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and by what measure you measure out, it will be measured out to you. ³ And why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam of wood in your own eye? ⁴ Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam of wood is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the beam of wood from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye!

⁶ “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls in front of pigs, lest they trample them with their feet, and turn around and^[an] tear you to pieces.

The Sermon on the Mount: Ask, Seek, Knock

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what man is there among you, if his son will ask him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or also if he will ask for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ Therefore if you, although you^[ao] are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? ¹² Therefore in all things, whatever you want that people should do to you, thus also you do to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

The Sermon on the Mount: The Narrow Gate

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it, ¹⁴ because narrow^[ap] is the gate and constricted is the road that leads to life, and there are few who find it!

The Sermon on the Mount: Recognizing False Prophets

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits: they do not gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, do they?^{[aq] 17} In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree is not able to produce bad fruit, nor a bad tree to produce good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ As a result, you will recognize them by their fruits.

The Sermon on the Mount: False Followers

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?’ ²³ And then I will say to them plainly,^[ar] ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The Sermon on the Mount: Two Houses and Two Foundations

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not collapse, because its foundation was laid on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain came down and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and its fall was great.”

The Sermon on the Mount: Response

²⁸ And it happened when Jesus finished these words the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

A Leper Cleansed

8 And when^[as] he came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. ² And behold, a leper approached and^[at] worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you are able to make me clean.” ³ And extending his hand he touched him, saying, “I am willing, be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

A Centurion’s Slave Healed

⁵ Now when^[au] he entered Capernaum, a centurion approached him, appealing to him ⁶ and saying, “Lord, my slave^[av] is lying paralyzed in my^[aw] house, terribly tormented!” ⁷ And he said to him, “I will come and^[ax] heal him.” ⁸ And the centurion answered and^[ay] said, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come in under my roof. But only say the word and my slave will be healed. ⁹ For I also am a man under authority who has soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it^[az].”

¹⁰ Now when^[ba] Jesus heard this,^[bb] he was astonished, and said to those who were following him,^[bc] “Truly I say to you, I have found such great faith with no one in Israel. ¹¹ But I say to you that many will come from east and west and be seated at the banquet^[bd] with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. ¹² But the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!” ¹³ And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go, as you have believed it will be done for you.” And the slave^[be] was healed at that hour.

Many at Capernaum Are Healed

¹⁴ And when^[bf] Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying down and suffering with a fever. ¹⁵ And he touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve him.

¹⁶ Now when it^[bg] was evening, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed, and he expelled the spirits with a word. And he healed all those who were sick,^{[bh] 17} in order that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah would be fulfilled, who said,

Would-be Followers

¹⁸ Now when^[bj] Jesus saw many crowds^[bk] around him, he gave orders to depart to the other side.^{[bl] 19} And a scribe approached and^[bm] said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go!” ²⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” ²¹ And another of the disciples^[bn] said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” ²² But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead!”

Calming of a Storm

²³ And as^[bo] he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. ²⁴ And behold, a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being inundated by the waves, but he himself was asleep. ²⁵ And they came and^[bp] woke him, saying, “Lord, save us!^[bq] We are perishing!” ²⁶ And he said to them, “Why are you fearful, you of little faith?” Then he got up and^[br] rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men were astonished, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

Demon-possessed Gadarenes Healed

²⁸ And when^[bs] he came to the other side,^[bt] to the region of the Gadarenes,^[bu] two demon-possessed men coming from among the tombs met him, very violent, so that no one was able to pass by along that road. ²⁹ And behold, they cried out, saying, “What do you have to do with us,^[bv] Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”^{[bw] 30} Now a long way from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. ³¹ So the demons implored him, saying, “If you are going to expel us, send us into the herd of pigs.” ³² And he said to them, “Go!” So they departed and^[bx] went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and drowned in the water. ³³ Now the herdsmen fled and went into the town and^[by] reported everything, including the things concerning the demon-possessed men. ³⁴ And behold, the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they^[bz] saw him, they implored him^[ca] that he would depart from their region.

A Paralytic Healed

9 And getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his own town.^{[cb] 2} And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher, and when^[cc] Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” ³ And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” ⁴ And knowing^[cd] their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? ⁵ For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and go to your home.” ⁷ And he got up and^[ce] went to his home. ⁸ But when^[cf] the crowds saw this,^[cg] they were afraid and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

Matthew Called to Follow Jesus

⁹ And as^[ch] Jesus was going away from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth and said to him, “Follow me!” And he stood up and^[ci] followed him.

¹⁰ And it happened as^[cj] he was dining^[ck] in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners were coming and^[cl] dining^[cm] with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹ And when they^[cn] saw it,^[co] the Pharisees began to say to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² And when he^[cp] heard it,^[cq] he said, “Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those who are sick.^{[cr] 13} But go and^[cs] learn what it means, “I want mercy and not sacrifice.”^[ct] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

On Fasting

¹⁴ Then the disciples of John^[cu] approached him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” ¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, “The bridegroom’s attendants^[cv] are not able to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them. But days are coming when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. ¹⁶ But no one puts a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment, for its patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear becomes worse. ¹⁷ Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise^[cw] the wineskins burst and the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are destroyed. But they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.”

A Woman Healed and a Daughter Raised

¹⁸ As^[cx] he was saying these things to them, behold, one of the rulers came and^[cy] knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter has just now died, but come, place your hand on her and she will live!” ¹⁹ And Jesus and his disciples got up and^[cz] followed him. ²⁰ And behold, a woman who had been suffering with a hemorrhage twelve years approached from behind and^[da] touched the edge^[db] of his cloak, ²¹ for she said to herself, “If only I touch his cloak I will be healed.” ²² But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that hour.

²³ And when^[dc] Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd, ²⁴ he said, “Go away, because the girl is not dead, but is sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. ²⁵ But when the crowd had been sent out, he entered and^[dd] took her hand, and the girl got up. ²⁶ And this report went out into that whole region.

Two Blind Men Healed

²⁷ And as^[de] Jesus was going away from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” ²⁸ And when he^[df] came into the house, the blind men approached him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” ²⁹ Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be done for you.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened, and Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one finds out.” ³¹ But they went out and^[dg] spread the report about him in that whole region.

A Demon Expelled

³² Now as^[dh] they were going away, behold, they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was unable to speak. ³³ And after^[di] the demon had been expelled, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were astonished, saying, “This has never been seen before^[dj] in Israel!” ³⁴ But the Pharisees were saying,^[dk] “By the ruler of demons he expels the demons!”

A Plentiful Harvest But Few Workers

³⁵ And Jesus was going around all the towns and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every^[dl] disease and every^[dm] sickness. ³⁶ And when he^[dn] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were weary and dejected, like sheep that did not have a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers into his harvest.”