Eye for Eye

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[a](A) 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.(B) 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.(C)

Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[b](D) and hate your enemy.’(E) 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,(F) 45 that you may be children(G) of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.(H) 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?(I) Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21
  2. Matthew 5:43 Lev. 19:18

but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.(A)

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.(B) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.(C) Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap,(D) in order to have a basis for accusing him.(E)

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone(F) at her.”(G) Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,”(H) Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”(I)


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