Add parallel Print Page Options

Jesus Gives Blessings and Warnings

17 Jesus went down the mountain with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there. A large number of other people were there too. They came from all over Judea, including Jerusalem. They also came from the coastland around Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had all come to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses. People who were troubled by evil spirits were made well. 19 Everyone tried to touch Jesus. Power was coming from him and healing them all.

20 Jesus looked at his disciples. He said to them,

“Blessed are you who are needy.
    God’s kingdom belongs to you.
21 Blessed are you who are hungry now.
    You will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are sad now.
    You will laugh.
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they have nothing to do with you
    and say bad things about you,
    and when they treat your name as something evil.
        They do all this because you are followers of the Son of Man.

23 “The prophets of long ago were treated the same way. When these things happen to you, be glad and jump for joy. You will receive many blessings in heaven.

24 “But how terrible it will be for you who are rich!
    You have already had your easy life.
25 How terrible for you who are well fed now!
    You will go hungry.
How terrible for you who laugh now!
    You will cry and be sad.
26 How terrible for you when everyone says good things about you!
    Their people treated the false prophets the same way long ago.

Love Your Enemies

27 “But here is what I tell you who are listening. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who call down curses on you. And pray for those who treat you badly. 29 Suppose someone slaps you on one cheek. Let them slap you on the other cheek as well. Suppose someone takes your coat. Don’t stop them from taking your shirt as well. 30 Give to everyone who asks you. And if anyone takes what belongs to you, don’t ask to get it back. 31 Do to others as you want them to do to you.

32 “Suppose you love those who love you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And suppose you do good to those who are good to you. Should anyone praise you for that? Even sinners do that. 34 And suppose you lend money to those who can pay you back. Should anyone praise you for that? Even a sinner lends to sinners, expecting them to pay everything back. 35 But love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will receive a lot in return. And you will be children of the Most High God. He is kind to people who are evil and are not thankful. 36 So have mercy, just as your Father has mercy.

Be Fair When You Judge Other People

37 “If you do not judge other people, then you will not be judged. If you do not find others guilty, then you will not be found guilty. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good amount will be poured into your lap. It will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same amount you give will be measured out to you.”

39 Jesus also gave them another example. He asked, “Can a blind person lead another blind person? Won’t they both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not better than the teacher. But everyone who is completely trained will be like their teacher.

41 “You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. 42 How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “A good tree doesn’t bear bad fruit. And a bad tree doesn’t bear good fruit. 44 You can tell each tree by the kind of fruit it bears. People do not pick figs from thorns. And they don’t pick grapes from bushes. 45 A good man says good things. These come from the good that is stored up in his heart. An evil man says evil things. These come from the evil that is stored up in his heart. A person’s mouth says everything that is in their heart.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and still don’t do what I say? 47 Some people come and listen to me and do what I say. I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man who builds a house. He digs down deep and sets it on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against the house. But the water can’t shake it. The house is well built. 49 But here is what happens when people listen to my words and do not obey them. They are like a man who builds a house on soft ground instead of solid rock. The moment the river rushes against that house, it falls down. It is completely destroyed.”

Read full chapter

Blessings and Woes(A)

17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,(B) 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him,(C) because power was coming from him and healing them all.(D)

20 Looking at his disciples, he said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
    for yours is the kingdom of God.(E)
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.(F)
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.(G)
22 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you(H) and insult you(I)
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.(J)

23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,(K) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.(L)

24 “But woe to you who are rich,(M)
    for you have already received your comfort.(N)
25 Woe to you who are well fed now,
    for you will go hungry.(O)
Woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.(P)
26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.(Q)

Love for Enemies(R)

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(S) 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(T) 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(U) 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.(V)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?(W) Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(X) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(Y) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(Z) of the Most High,(AA) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful,(AB) just as your Father(AC) is merciful.

Judging Others(AD)

37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.(AE) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.(AF) 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.(AG) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”(AH)

39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?(AI) 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.(AJ)

41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit(AK)

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.(AL) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.(AM)

The Wise and Foolish Builders(AN)

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’(AO) and do not do what I say?(AP) 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,(AQ) I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Read full chapter