Ritual and Moral Holiness

19 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

² “Speak to all the congregation of the Israelites and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.^(A)

⁹ “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^{(A) 10} You shall not strip your vineyard bare or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another.^{(B) 12} And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the Lord.^(C)

¹³ “You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning.^{(D) 14} You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.^(E)

¹⁵ “You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor.^{(F) 16} You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand idly by when the blood^[a] of your neighbor is at stake: I am the Lord.^(G)

¹⁷ “You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself.^{(H) 18} You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.^(I)

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?^{[a](A) 17} If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise.^{(B) 19} For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,

²⁰ and again,

²¹ So let no one boast about people.^[b] For all things are yours,^{(D) 22} whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, ²³ and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.^(E)

Concerning Retaliation

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’^{(A) 39} But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also,^{(B) 40} and if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give your coat as well, ⁴¹ and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. ⁴² Give to the one who asks of you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.^(C)

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’^{(D) 44} But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,^{(E) 45} so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.^{(F) 46} For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(G)