Matthew 5
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
5 1 And having seen the crowds, He went up on the mountain. And He having sat-down, His disciples[a] came to Him. 2 And having opened His mouth He was teaching[b] them[c], saying—
These Are The Ones God Considers Blessed
3 “Blessed[d] are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. 4 Blessed are the ones mourning, because they[e] will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the gentle ones, because they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are the ones hungering and thirsting as to righteousness, because they will be filled-to-satisfaction. 7 Blessed are the merciful ones, because they will be shown-mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God[f]. 10 Blessed are the ones having been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. 11 You are blessed ones whenever they reproach you and persecute you and speak every [kind of] evil against you while lying, because-of [g] Me. 12 Be rejoicing and be overjoyed, because your reward is great in the heavens. For in this manner they persecuted the prophets before you.
You Are Salt And Light. Salt Must Be Tasty. Light Must Shine
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should become-tasteless, with what will it be salted[h]? It no longer has strength for anything except, having been thrown outside, to be trampled-underfoot by people. 14 You are the light of the world. A city lying on a hill is not able to be hidden. 15 Nor do they burn a lamp and put it under the basket, but on the lampstand— and it shines on all the ones in the house. 16 In this manner, let your light shine in front of people so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.
I Came To Fulfill The Law. Your Righteousness Must Abound More Than The Pharisees
17 “Do not think that I came to abolish[i] the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill[j]. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one iota[k] or one stroke[l] will by no means pass away from the Law until all things take-place[m]. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks[n] one of the least of these commandments and in this manner teaches people— he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does and teaches them— this one will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. 20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness abounds more[o] than [that of] the scribes and Pharisees, you will by-no-means[p] enter into the kingdom of the heavens!
Some Say Do Not Murder. I Say Do Not Get Angry
21 “You heard that it was said to[q] the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder’, and ‘Whoever murders shall be liable[r] to the judgment’. 22 But I say to you that everyone being angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca’[s], shall be liable to the Sanhedrin. And whoever says, ‘Fool’[t], shall be liable to the Gehenna[u] of [v] fire. 23 Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then, having come, be offering your gift. 25 Be settling with your adversary quickly— until[w] you are with him on the way [to court]— that your adversary might not perhaps 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 by no means come out from there until you pay the last quadrans[x].
Some Say Do Not Commit Adultery. I Say Do Not Desire Another Woman
27 “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit-adultery’. 28 But I say to you that everyone looking-at a woman so-as to desire[y] her already committed-adultery-with her in his heart. 29 And if your right eye is causing you to fall, tear it out[z] and throw it from you. For it is better[aa] for you that one of your body-parts perish and your whole body not be thrown into Gehenna. 30 And if your right hand is causing you to fall, cut it off and throw it from you. For it is better for you that one of your body-parts perish and your whole body not go into Gehenna.
Some Say Get a Legal Divorce. I Say Divorcees Who Remarry Commit Adultery
31 “And it was said, ‘Whoever sends-away[ab] his wife, let him give her a divorce[ac] certificate’. 32 But I say to you that everyone sending-away his wife except for a matter[ad] of sexual-immorality is causing her to commit-adultery[ae]. And whoever marries a woman having been sent-away [from her husband] is committing-adultery.
Some Say Do Not Break Your Oath. I Say Do Not Swear an Oath At All
33 “Again, you heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not break-your-oath[af], but you shall pay your oaths to the Lord’. 34 But I say to you not to swear-with-an-oath[ag] at all— 35 neither by heaven, because it is the throne of God; nor by earth, because it is a footstool of His feet; nor with reference to Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; 36 nor may you swear-with-an-oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’, [or] ‘No, no’. And the thing beyond these is from[ah] the evil one.
Some Say Avenge an Eye For an Eye. I Say Do Not Retaliate, But Do The Opposite
38 “You heard that it was said, ‘An eye for[ai] an eye, and a tooth for a tooth’. 39 But I say to you not to resist[aj] the evil person. But whoever slaps[ak] you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 And to the one wanting to sue you and take your tunic[al], permit him also the cloak. 41 And whoever will press you into service[am] for one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away from the one wanting to borrow from you.
Some Say Hate Your Enemies. I Say Love Them And Pray For Them
43 “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. 44 But I say to you, be loving your enemies, and be praying for the ones persecuting you, 45 so that you may prove-to-be[an] sons of your Father[ao] in the heavens— because He causes His sun to rise upon evil and good ones, and He sends rain upon righteous and unrighteous ones. 46 For if you love the ones loving you, what reward do you have? Are not even the tax-collectors doing the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not even the Gentiles[ap] doing the same?
Be Perfect Reflections of Your Heavenly Father
48 “Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:1 That is, the twelve; or, the larger group from which the twelve were chosen, Lk 6:13, 17, 20.
- Matthew 5:2 Chapters 5-7 may represent the attainable standard of righteousness necessary to enter the kingdom; or, the unattainable standard that drives us to Christ, the premier application of the Law; or, the standard of conduct for those who have entered the kingdom.
- Matthew 5:2 That is, the crowds (note 7:28); or, the disciples.
- Matthew 5:3 Or, Fortunate, Happy, from God’s point of view.
- Matthew 5:4 Or, they themselves (and in each case below). This word has the emphasis.
- Matthew 5:9 That is, children characterized by the same trait as their Father.
- Matthew 5:11 That is, from the persecutor’s point of view. Or, for the sake of, from the believer’s point of view.
- Matthew 5:13 Or, seasoned.
- Matthew 5:17 Or, destroy, do away with, annul.
- Matthew 5:17 Or, complete, finish. That is, to perfectly fulfill the Law’s requirements; or, to fill out its true meaning and intent in His teaching; or, to bring it to its completion and conclusion in His death.
- Matthew 5:18 That is, the smallest letter, like our i.
- Matthew 5:18 That is, the single stoke that distinguishes one letter from another, like an E from an F, or a Q from an O.
- Matthew 5:18 Or, happen, come about.
- Matthew 5:19 That is, annuls the authority of, does away with, repeals.
- Matthew 5:20 As seen in what follows, Jesus means it must not merely be an external righteousness.
- Matthew 5:20 Or, never.
- Matthew 5:21 Or, by.
- Matthew 5:21 Or, answerable, subject.
- Matthew 5:22 That is, empty one; numbskull, blockhead.
- Matthew 5:22 This may have the same meaning as Raca; or, Raca may insult the intellect, Fool the character.
- Matthew 5:22 Or, hell.
- Matthew 5:22 That is, characterized by fire; the fiery Gehenna.
- Matthew 5:25 Lit, up to which time. Or, while, in which case ‘[to court]’ can be omitted.
- Matthew 5:26 This is the smallest Roman coin, 1/64th of a denarius (a day’s wage). That is, once you enter the judicial system, this world’s or God’s, the full penalty must be paid.
- Matthew 5:28 so as to desire. This expresses the purpose of the looking.
- Matthew 5:29 Take whatever action is necessary to avoid sinning.
- Matthew 5:29 The eternal consequences of sin are far worse that losing physical eyesight.
- Matthew 5:31 Or, dismisses. This refers to the physical separation aspect of divorce. The legal aspect is referred to next.
- Matthew 5:31 This legal document was to protect the woman and make it possible for her to remarry.
- Matthew 5:32 Or, word, account.
- Matthew 5:32 Or, become-an-adulteress. That is, when she remarries.
- Matthew 5:33 Or, swear-falsely, make-false-oaths.
- Matthew 5:34 Or, affirm, confirm with an oath, such as saying ‘I swear by heaven...’.
- Matthew 5:37 Or, of evil; that is, of evil origin.
- Matthew 5:38 That is, let your revenge be in proportion to the offense.
- Matthew 5:39 Or, oppose, stand against. Leave vengeance to God. Do not return evil for evil, Rom 12:17.
- Matthew 5:39 A slap is a personal affront.
- Matthew 5:40 tunic... cloak. The Law did not permit Jews to take the outer cloak, but they could sue for the tunic, the undergarment.
- Matthew 5:41 Soldiers would compel people to carry their things. Simon was pressed into service to carry the cross, Mt 27:32.
- Matthew 5:45 Or, be, become.
- Matthew 5:45 That is, children characterized by the same trait as your Father.
- Matthew 5:47 That is, the non-believers.
Matthew 5
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Teaches the People
5 Jesus saw the crowds who were there. He went up on a hill and sat down. His followers came to him. 2 Jesus taught the people and said:
3 “Those people who know they have great spiritual needs are happy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4 Those who are sad now are happy.
God will comfort them.
5 Those who are humble are happy.
The earth will belong to them.
6 Those who want to do right more than anything else are happy.
God will fully satisfy them.
7 Those who give mercy to others are happy.
Mercy will be given to them.
8 Those who are pure in their thinking are happy.
They will be with God.
9 Those who work to bring peace are happy.
God will call them his sons.
10 Those who are treated badly for doing good are happy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11 “People will say bad things about you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do these things to you, you are happy. 12 Rejoice and be glad. You have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you.
You Are Like Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing. It must be thrown out for people to walk on.
14 “You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put the light on a lampstand. Then the light shines for all the people in the house. 16 In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do. Live so that they will praise your Father in heaven.
The Importance of the Law
17 “Don’t think that I have come to destroy the law of Moses or the teaching of the prophets. I have not come to destroy their teachings but to do what they said. 18 I tell you the truth. Nothing will disappear from the law until heaven and earth are gone. The law will not lose even the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter until all has happened. 19 Whoever refuses to obey any command and teaches other people not to obey that command will be the least important in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys the law and teaches other people to obey the law will be great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I tell you that you must do better than the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. If you are not better than they are, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus Teaches About Anger
21 “You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘You must not murder anyone.[a] Anyone who murders another will be judged.’ 22 But I tell you, if you are angry with your brother,[b] you will be judged. And if you say bad things to your brother, you will be judged by the Jewish council. And if you call your brother a fool, then you will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 “So when you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with him. Then come and offer your gift.
25 “If your enemy is taking you to court, become friends with him quickly. You should do that before you go to court. If you don’t become his friend, he might turn you over to the judge. And the judge might give you to a guard to put you in jail. 26 I tell you that you will not leave that jail until you have paid everything you owe.
Jesus Teaches About Adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You must not be guilty of adultery.’[c] 28 But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman with lust, he has already committed adultery with her in his mind. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, then take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, then 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.
Jesus Teaches About Divorce
31 “It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written divorce paper.’[d] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife is causing his wife to be guilty of adultery. The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if she has been unfaithful to him. And anyone who marries that divorced woman is guilty of adultery.
Make Promises Carefully
33 “You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘When you make a promise, don’t break your promise. Keep the promises that you make to the Lord.’[e] 34 But I tell you, never make an oath. Don’t make an oath using the name of heaven, because heaven is God’s throne. 35 Don’t make an oath using the name of the earth, because the earth belongs to God. Don’t make an oath using the name of Jerusalem, because that is the city of the great King. 36 And don’t even say that your own head is proof that you will keep your oath. You cannot make one hair on your head become white or black. 37 Say only ‘yes’ if you mean ‘yes,’ and say only ‘no’ if you mean ‘no.’ If you must say more than ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ it is from the Evil One.
Don’t Fight Back
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’[f] 39 But I tell you, don’t stand up against an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, then turn and let him slap the other cheek too. 40 If someone wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, then let him have your coat too. 41 If a soldier forces you to go with him one mile, then go with him two miles. 42 If a person asks you for something, then give it to him. Don’t refuse to give to a person who wants to borrow from you.
Love All People
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[g] and hate your enemies.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.[h] 45 If you do this, then you will be true sons of your Father in heaven. Your Father causes the sun to rise on good people and on bad people. Your Father sends rain to those who do good and to those who do wrong. 46 If you love only the people who love you, then you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. 47 And if you are nice only to your friends, then you are no better than other people. Even people without God are nice to their friends. 48 So you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes
- 5:21 You . . . anyone. Quotation from Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17.
- 5:22 brother Some Greek copies continue, “without a reason.”
- 5:27 ‘You . . . adultery.’ Quotation from Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18.
- 5:31 ‘Anyone . . . divorce paper.’ Quotation from Deuteronomy 24:1.
- 5:33 ‘When . . . Lord.’ Quotation from Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21.
- 5:38 ‘An eye . . . tooth.’ Quotation from Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21.
- 5:43 Love your neighbor Quotation from Leviticus 19:18.
- 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
King James Version
5 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the 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 which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 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 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, 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 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
35 Nor 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 thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, That ye 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 shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5
Modern English Version
The Sermon on the Mount(A)
5 Now seeing the crowds, He went up on a mountain. And when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
The Beatitudes(B)
2 And He began speaking and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be very glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in this manner they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light(C)
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how shall it be made salty? It is from then on good for nothing but to be thrown out and to be trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Teaching About the Law
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one dot or one mark will pass from the law until all be fulfilled. 19 Whoever, therefore, breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will in no way enter the kingdom of heaven.
Teaching About Anger
21 “You have heard that it was said by the ancients, ‘You shall not murder,’[a] and ‘Whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be in danger of the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go on your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 “Reconcile with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will by no means come out of there until you have paid the last penny.[b]
Teaching About Adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said by the ancients, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[c] 28 But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. For it is profitable that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body be thrown into hell.
Teaching About Divorce(D)
31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’[d] 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.
Teaching About Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said by the ancients, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’[e] 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these comes from the evil one.
Teaching About Revenge(E)
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’[f] 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other as well. 40 And if anyone sues you in a court of law and takes away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go a mile,[g] go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who would borrow from you do not turn away.
Love for Enemies(F)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 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 your brothers only, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:21 Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17.
- Matthew 5:26 Gk. kodrantes.
- Matthew 5:27 Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18.
- Matthew 5:31 Dt 24:1, 3.
- Matthew 5:33 Lev 19:12; Nu 30:2; Dt 23:21.
- Matthew 5:38 Ex 21:24; Lev 24:20; Dt 19:21.
- Matthew 5:41 Gk. milion, or 1.48 kilometers.
- Matthew 5:43 Lev 19:18.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.