Matthew 5
Expanded Bible
Jesus Teaches the People(A)
5 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on ·a hill [the mountain] and sat down. His ·followers [disciples] ·came to [gathered around] him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:
3 “·They are blessed [or Blessed are those…; C and so through v. 10] who ·realize their spiritual poverty [L are the poor in spirit],
for the kingdom of heaven ·belongs to them [is theirs].
4 They are blessed who ·grieve [mourn],
for ·God will comfort them [L they will be comforted; C the passive verb implies God as subject].
5 They are blessed who are ·humble [meek; gentle],
for ·the whole earth will be theirs [L they shall inherit the earth; Ps. 37:11].
6 They are blessed who hunger and thirst after ·justice [righteousness],
for they will be ·satisfied [filled].
7 They are blessed who show mercy to others,
for ·God will show mercy to them [L they will be shown mercy; C the passive verb implies God as subject].
8 They are blessed ·whose thoughts are pure [or whose hearts are pure; T the pure in heart],
for they will see God.
9 They are blessed who work for peace [T Blessed are the peacemakers],
for they will be called God’s ·children [or sons].
10 They are blessed who are persecuted for ·doing good [doing what’s right; L the sake of righteousness],
for the kingdom of heaven ·belongs to them [is theirs].
11 “·You are blessed [T Blessed are you; or God will bless you] when people ·insult [mock; abuse; revile] you and ·hurt [persecute] you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things ·about [against] you because ·you follow [L of] me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. ·People did the same evil things to [L They likewise persecuted] the prophets who lived before you.
You Are Like Salt and Light(B)
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt ·loses its salty taste [becomes tasteless], ·it cannot [L how can it…?] be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and ·walked on [trampled].
14 “You are the light ·that gives light to [for; L of] the world. A city that ·is built [stands; is set] on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 And people don’t light a lamp and then hide it under a ·bowl [or basket]. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. 16 In the same way let your light shine ·before others [for people to see], so that they will see ·the good things you do [L your good deeds/works] and will ·praise [glorify; give honor to] your Father in heaven.
The Importance of the Law and the Prophets(C)
17 “Don’t think that I have come to ·destroy [abolish; do away with] ·the law of Moses or the teaching of the prophets [L the Law and the Prophets; C referring to the OT]. I have not come to destroy them but to ·bring about what they said [fulfill/complete them]. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth ·are gone [pass away; disappear], not even ·the smallest letter [T one jot; L one iota; C the smallest Greek letter] or the smallest ·part [stroke; T tittle] of a letter will ·be lost [pass away; disappear] until everything ·has happened [is accomplished/achieved]. 19 [L Therefore] Whoever ·refuses to obey [ignores; breaks; annuls] ·any command [L one of the least of these commands] and teaches other people ·not to obey that command [L to do likewise] will be ·the least important [L called/considered least] in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever ·obeys [keeps; practices] the commands and teaches other people to obey them will be [considered; L called] great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 [L For] I tell you that ·if you are no more obedient than [L unless your righteousness surpasses/exceeds that of] the ·teachers of the law [scribes] and the Pharisees, you will ·never [or certainly not] enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus Teaches About Anger(D)
21 “You have heard that it was said to ·our people long ago [our ancestors; the ancients], ‘You ·must [L shall] not murder [Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17]. Anyone who murders another will be ·judged [subject to judgment].’ 22 But I tell you, ·if you are [L everyone who is] angry with a brother or sister,[a] you will be ·judged [subject to judgment]. ·If you say [L Whoever says] ·bad things [“Fool!”; L Raca; C an Aramaic term of derision] to a brother or sister, you will be ·judged [subject/liable to judgment] by the ·council [Sanhedrin]. And if you call someone a ·fool [idiot; moron], you will be in danger of the fire of ·hell [L Gehenna; C a valley outside of Jerusalem where in the OT period children were sacrificed to a pagan god; later used as a burning trash heap; a metaphor for hell].
23 “So when you ·offer your gift to God [present your offering/sacrifice] at the altar, and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your ·gift [offering; sacrifice] there at the altar. Go and ·make peace [be reconciled] with that person [L first], and then come and ·offer your gift [present your offering/sacrifice].
25 “If your ·enemy [opponent; adversary; accuser] is taking you to court, ·become friends [reach agreement; settle matters] quickly, ·before you go [on the way] to court. Otherwise, your ·enemy [opponent; adversary; accuser] might turn you over to the judge, and the judge might give you to the ·guard [officer; warden] to ·put [throw] you in ·jail [prison]. 26 I tell you the truth, you will ·not [never; certainly not] leave there until you have paid ·everything you owe [the last penny; C Greek: the last quadrans; a small copper coin of very low value].
Jesus Teaches About Sexual Sin(E)
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You ·must [shall] not ·be guilty of [commit] adultery [Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18].’ 28 But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman ·and wants to sin sexually with her [lustfully; L with a desire for her], in his ·mind [heart] he has already ·done that sin [committed adultery] with her. 29 If your right eye causes you to ·sin [L stumble], ·take [tear; gouge] it out and throw it away. [L For] It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into ·hell [L Gehenna; v. 22]. 30 If your right hand causes you to ·sin [L stumble], cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into ·hell [L Gehenna; v. 22].
Jesus Teaches About Divorce(F)
31 “It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written divorce ·paper [notice; certificate; Deut. 24:1].’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife ·forces [causes; makes] her ·to be guilty of [commit] adultery. ·The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if she has sexual relations with another man [L …except in the case of sexual immorality]. And anyone who marries that divorced woman ·is guilty of [commits] adultery.
Make Promises Carefully
33 “[L Again] You have heard that it was said to ·our people long ago [our ancestors; the ancients], ‘Don’t break your ·promises [vows; oaths], but ·keep [fulfill] the ·promises [vows; oaths] you make to the Lord [Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21].’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all. ·Don’t swear an oath using the name of heaven [L …neither by heaven], because heaven is God’s throne. 35 ·Don’t swear an oath using the name of the earth [L …nor by earth], because the earth ·belongs to God [L is his footstool; Is. 66:1]. ·Don’t swear an oath using the name of Jerusalem […nor by Jerusalem], because it is the city of the great King [Ps. 48:2]. 36 Don’t even swear by your own head, because you cannot make one hair on your head become white or black. 37 ·Say only yes if you mean yes, and no if you mean no [L Let your word “yes” be “yes”; your “no” be “no”]. ·If you say more than yes or no, it [L Anything more than this] is from the Evil One.
Don’t Retaliate(G)
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth [Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21].’ 39 But I tell you, don’t ·stand up against [resist; retaliate against] an evil person. If someone ·slaps [strikes] you on the right cheek [C either an insult or an act of violence], turn to him the other cheek also. 40 If someone wants to sue you in court and take your ·shirt [tunic], let him have your coat also. 41 If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles [C alluding to the practice of impressment, whereby a Roman soldier could command a civilian to carry his gear for a mile]. 42 If a person asks you for something, give it to him. Don’t ·refuse to give to [L turn away from] someone who wants to borrow from you.
Love All People(H)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy [Lev. 19:18].’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who ·hurt [persecute] you.[b] 45 ·If you do this, […so that] you will be ·true children [L children; or sons] of your Father in heaven. [L For] He causes ·the [L his] sun to rise on evil people and on good people, and he sends rain ·to those who do right and to those who do wrong [L on the just/righteous and the unjust/unrighteous]. 46 [L For] If you love only the people who love you, ·you will get no reward [what reward is there for that?]. ·Even [L Don’t even…?] the tax collectors do that. 47 And if you ·are nice only to your friends [L greet only your brothers; C probably meaning fellow Jews], ·you are no better than other people [L what more are you doing (than others)?]. Even ·those who don’t know God [the Gentiles; pagans] ·are nice to their friends [L do the same]. 48 ·So [Therefore] you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:22 sister Some Greek copies continue, “without a reason.”
- Matthew 5:44 you Some Greek copies continue, “Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.” Compare Luke 6:28.
Matthew 5
1599 Geneva Bible
5 1 Who are blessed. 13 The Apostles are the salt and light of the world. 14 The city set on an hill. 15 The candle. 16 Good works. 19 The fulfilling of Christ’s commandments. 21 What killing is. 23 Reconciliation is set before sacrifice. 27 Adultery. 29 The plucking out of the eye. 30 Cutting off of the hand. 31 The bill of divorcement. 33 Not to swear. 44 To love our enemies. 48 Perfectness.
1 And when he saw the multitude, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came to him.
2 [a]And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 (A)Blessed are the [b]poor in [c]spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 (B)Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 (C)Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 (D)Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the (E)[d]pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they (F)which suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 (G)Blessed shall ye be when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you for my sake, falsely.
12 Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you.
13 (H)Ye [e]are the salt of the [f]earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be [g]salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the [h]light of the world. A city that is set on an hill, cannot be hid.
15 (I)Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 (J)Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.
17 [i]Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets. I am not come to destroy them, but to [j]fulfill them.
18 (K)For truly I say unto you, Till heaven and earth perish, one jot or one tittle of the Law shall not escape, till all things be fulfilled.
19 (L)[k]Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called the [l]least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall observe and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, except your righteousness (M)exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 [m]Ye have heard that it was said unto them of the old time, (N)Thou shalt not kill: for whosoever killeth shall be culpable of judgment.
22 But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shall be [n]culpable [o]of judgment. And whosoever saith unto his brother, Raca, shall be worthy to be punished by the [p]Council. And whosoever shall say, Fool, shall be worthy to be punished with [q]hell [r]fire.
23 [s]If then thou bring thy gift to the [t]altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee,
24 Leave there thine offering before the altar, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 (O)[u]Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him, lest thine adversary deliver thee to the Judge, and the Judge deliver thee to the sergeant, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not come out thence, till thou hast [v]paid the utmost farthing.
27 ¶ [w]Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, (P)Thou shalt not commit adultery.
28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29 (Q)Wherefore if thy [x]right eye cause thee [y]to offend, pluck it out and cast it from thee: for better it is for thee, that one of thy members perish, than that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 Also if thy right hand make thee to offend, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for better it is for thee, that one of thy members perish, than that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
31 It hath been said also, (R)Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorcement.
32 But I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife (except it be for fornication) causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery.
33 [z]Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, (S)Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform thine oaths to the Lord.
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:
35 Nor yet by the earth, for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem: for it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thine head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 (T)But let your communication be [aa]Yea, yea: Nay, nay. For whatsoever is more than these, cometh of [ab]evil.
38 ¶ [ac]Ye have heard that it hath been said, An (U)eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
39 But I say unto you, (V)Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41 And whosoever will compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 (W)Give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, (X)Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, (Y)Love your enemies: bless them that curse you: do good to them that hate you, (Z)and pray for them which hurt you, and persecute you,
45 (AA)[ad]That ye may be the children of your father that is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to arise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust.
46 For if ye love them, which love you, what reward shall you have? Do not the Publicans even the same?
47 And if ye be friendly to your brethren only, what singular thing do ye? do not even the [ae]Publicans likewise?
48 Ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father which is in heaven, is perfect.
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:2 Christ teacheth that the greatest joy and felicity is not in the commodities and pleasures of this life, but is laid up in heaven for them that willingly rest in the good will and pleasure of God, and endeavor to profit all men, although they be cruelly vexed, and troubled of the worldlings, because they will not fashion themselves to their manners.
- Matthew 5:3 Under the name of poverty are all such miseries meant, as are joined with poverty.
- Matthew 5:3 Whose minds and spirits are brought under, and tamed, and obey God.
- Matthew 5:8 Fitly is this word Pure, joined with the heart, for as a bright and shining resemblance or image may be seen plainly in a clear and pure looking glass, even so doth the face (as it were) of the everlasting God, shine forth, and clear appears in a pure heart.
- Matthew 5:13 The ministers of the word, especially (unless they will be the most caitiff of all) must needs lead others both by word and deed to this greatest joy and felicity.
- Matthew 5:13 Your doctrine must be very sound and good, for if it be not so, it shall be naught set by, and cast away as a thing unsavory and vain.
- Matthew 5:13 What shall you have to salt withal? And so are fools in the Latin tongue called saltless, as you would say, men that have no salt, or savor and taste in them.
- Matthew 5:14 You shine and give light, by being made partakers of the true light.
- Matthew 5:17 Christ came not to bring any new way of righteousness and salvation into the world, but to fulfill that in deed which was shadowed by the figures of the Law, by delivering men through grace from the curse of the Law: and moreover to teach the true use of obedience which the Law appointed, and to engrave in our hearts the force of obedience.
- Matthew 5:17 That the prophecies may be accomplished.
- Matthew 5:19 He beginneth with the true expounding of the Law, and setteth it against the old (but yet false) glosses of the Scribes: So far is he from abolishing the least commandment of his Father.
- Matthew 5:19 He shall have no place in the Church.
- Matthew 5:21 The true meaning of the first commandment.
- Matthew 5:22 He speaketh of the judgment of God, and of the difference of sins, and therefore applieth his words to the form of civil judgments, which were then used.
- Matthew 5:22 Of that judgment which was ruled by three men, who had the hearing and deciding of money matters, and such other small causes.
- Matthew 5:22 By that judgment which stood of 23 Judges, who had the hearing and deciding of weighty affairs and matters of life and death: as the highest Judges of all, were to the number of 71, which had the hearing of most weighty affairs, as the matter of a whole tribe or of an high Priest, or of a false prophet.
- Matthew 5:22 Whereas we read here, Hell, it is in the text itself, Gehenna, which is an Hebrew word made of two, and is as much to say, as the Valley of Hinnom, which otherwise the Hebrews called Tophet: it was a place where the Israelites were wont most cruelly to sacrifice their children to false gods, whereupon it was taken for a place appointed to torment the reprobates in Jer. 7:31.
- Matthew 5:22 The Jews used four kinds of punishments, before their government was taken away by Herod, hanging, heading, stoning, and burning: this is it that Christ shot at, because burning was the greatest punishment, therefore in that he maketh mention of a judgment, a council, and a fire, he showeth that some sins are worse than other sins, but yet they are all such that we must give account for them, and will be punished for them.
- Matthew 5:23 The covetous Pharisees taught that God was appeased by the sacrifices appointed in the Law, which they themselves devoured. But Christ on the contrary side denieth that God accepteth any man’s offering, unless he maketh satisfaction to his brother whom he hath offended: and saith moreover, that these stubborn and stiffnecked despisers of their brethren, shall never escape the wrath and curse of God, before they have made full satisfaction to their brethren.
- Matthew 5:23 He applieth all this speech to the state of his time, when as there was an altar standing in Jerusalem, and therefore they are very foolish, that gather hereupon, that we must build altars, and use sacrifices: but they are more fools, which draw that to purgatory, which is spoken of peacemaking and atonement one with another.
- Matthew 5:25 Cut off all cause for enmity.
- Matthew 5:26 Thou shalt be dealt withall to the utmost extremity.
- Matthew 5:27 He is taken for an adulterer before God, whatsoever he be, that coveteth a woman: and therefore we must keep our eyes chaste, and all the members we have, yea, and we must eschew all occasions which might move us to evil, how dear soever it cost us.
- Matthew 5:29 He nameth the right eye and the right hand, because the parts of the right side of our bodies are the chiefest, and the readiest to commit any wickedness.
- Matthew 5:29 Word for word, do cause thee to offend: for sins are stumbling blocks as it were, that is to say, rocks which we are cast upon.
- Matthew 5:33 The meaning of the third commandment against the froward opinion and judgment of the Scribes, which excused by oaths or indirect forms of swearing.
- Matthew 5:37 Whatsoever you vouch, vouch it barely, and whatsoever you deny, deny it barely without any more words.
- Matthew 5:37 From an evil conscience, or from the devil.
- Matthew 5:38 He showeth clean contrary to the doctrine of the Scribes, that the sum of the second table must be understood, that we may in no wise render evil for evil, but rather suffer double injury, and do well to them that are our deadly enemies.
- Matthew 5:45 A double reason: the one is taken of relatives, that children must be like their father: the other is taken of comparison, The children of God must be better, than the children of this world.
- Matthew 5:47 They that were the toll masters, and had the oversight of tributes and customs: a kind of men that the Jews hated to death, both because they served the Romans in these offices, (whose yokeful bondage they could hardly away withall) and also because these toll masters are for the most part given to covetousness.
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Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
