Matthew 5
International Standard Version
Jesus Teaches about the Kingdom
5 When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up on the hill. After taking his seat, his disciples came to him, 2 and he began[b] to teach them:
The Blessed Attitudes(A)
3 “How blessed are those who are destitute in spirit,
because the kingdom from[c] heaven belongs to them!
4 “How blessed are those who mourn,
because it is they who will be comforted!
5 “How blessed are those who are humble,[d]
because it is they who will inherit the earth!
6 “How blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness,[e]
because it is they who will be satisfied!
7 “How blessed are those who are merciful,
because it is they who will receive mercy!
8 “How blessed are those who are pure in heart,
because it is they who will see God!
9 “How blessed are those who make peace,
because it is they who will be called God’s children!
10 “How blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
because the kingdom from[f] heaven belongs to them!
11 “How blessed are you whenever people[g] insult you, persecute you, and say all sorts of evil things against you falsely[h] because of me! 12 Rejoice and be extremely glad, because your reward in heaven is great! That’s how they persecuted the prophets who came before you.”
Salt and Light in the World(B)
13 “You are the salt of the world. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? It’s good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by people.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. 15 People[i] don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good actions and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Jesus Fulfills the Law and the Prophets
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I didn’t come to destroy them, but to fulfill them, 18 because I tell all of you[j] with certainty that until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter[k] or one stroke of a letter will disappear from the Law until everything has been accomplished. 19 So whoever sets aside[l] one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom from[m] heaven. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom from[n] heaven 20 because I tell you, unless your righteousness greatly exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom from[o] heaven!”
Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, ‘You are not to commit murder,’[p] and, ‘Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.’[q] 22 But I say to you, anyone who is angry with his brother without a cause[r] will be subject to punishment. And whoever says to his brother ‘Raka!’[s] will be subject to the Council.[t] And whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hell[u] fire.
23 “So if you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and first go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court,[v] or your opponent may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you[w] with certainty, you will not get out of there until you pay back the last dollar!”[x]
Teaching about Adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You are not to commit adultery.’[y] 28 But I say to you, anyone who stares at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body thrown into hell.[z] 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to lose one of your body parts than to have your whole body go into hell.”[aa]
Teaching about Divorce(C)
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.’[ab] 32 But I say to you, any man who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Teaching about Oaths
33 “Again, you have heard that it was told those who lived long ago, ‘You must not swear an oath falsely,’ but, ‘You must fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’[ac] 34 But I tell you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, because it is God’s throne, 35 nor by the earth, because it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the Great King. 36 Nor should you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Instead, let your message be ‘Yes’ for ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ for ‘No.’ Anything more than that comes from the evil one.”
Teaching about Retaliation(D)
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’[ad] 39 But I tell you not to resist an evildoer. On the contrary, whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile,[ae] go two with him. 42 Give to the person who asks you for something, and do not turn away from the person who wants to borrow something from you.”
Teaching about Love for Enemies(E)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor’[af] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you will become children of your Father in heaven, because he makes his sun rise on both evil and good people, and he lets rain fall on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? 47 And if you greet only your relatives, that’s no great thing you’re doing, is it? Even the unbelievers[ag] do the same, don’t they? 48 So be perfect,[ah] as your heavenly Father is perfect.”[ai]
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:1 Lit. he
- Matthew 5:2 Lit. he opened his mouth and began
- Matthew 5:3 Lit. of
- Matthew 5:5 Or gentle
- Matthew 5:6 Or justice
- Matthew 5:10 Lit. of
- Matthew 5:11 Lit. they
- Matthew 5:11 Other mss. lack falsely
- Matthew 5:15 Lit. They
- Matthew 5:18 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
- Matthew 5:18 Lit. one iota
- Matthew 5:19 Or breaks
- Matthew 5:19 Lit. of
- Matthew 5:19 Lit. of
- Matthew 5:20 Lit. of
- Matthew 5:21 Cf. Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17
- Matthew 5:21 Cf. Exod 21:12; Lev 24:17
- Matthew 5:22 Other mss. lack without a cause
- Matthew 5:22 Raka is Aram. for You worthless one
- Matthew 5:22 Or Sanhedrin
- Matthew 5:22 Lit. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom
- Matthew 5:25 Lit. while you are with him on the way
- Matthew 5:26 The Gk. pronoun you is sing.
- Matthew 5:26 Lit. quadran; i.e. about 1/64th of a daily wage for a common worker
- Matthew 5:27 Cf. Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18
- Matthew 5:29 Lit. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom
- Matthew 5:30 Lit. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom
- Matthew 5:31 Cf. Deut 24:1, 3
- Matthew 5:33 Cf. Lev 19:12; Num 30:2; Deut 23:21-23
- Matthew 5:38 Cf. Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21
- Matthew 5:41 A Roman milion (mile) consisted of 1,000 paces, or about 1,611 yards
- Matthew 5:43 Cf. Lev 19:18
- Matthew 5:47 Lit. to the gentiles; i.e. unbelieving non-Jews; other mss. read the tax collectors
- Matthew 5:48 Or mature
- Matthew 5:48 Or mature
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
Christian Standard Bible
The Sermon on the Mount
5 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain,(A) and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then[a] he began to teach them, saying:(B)
The Beatitudes
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,(C)
for the kingdom of heaven(D) is theirs.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,(E)
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the humble,(F)
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,(G)
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.(H)
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.(I)
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.(J)
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for the kingdom of heaven(K) is theirs.
11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted(L) the prophets who were before you.(M)
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty?[b] It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.(N)
14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.(O) 15 No one lights a lamp(P) and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.(Q) 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.(R)
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.(S) 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter[c] or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.(T) 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder,[d](U) and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.(V) 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister[e] will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults[f] his brother or sister will be subject to the court.[g] Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.[h](W) 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to[i] the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.(X) 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.[j]
Adultery Begins in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.[k](Y) 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.(Z) 29 If your right eye causes you to sin,(AA) gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.(AB) 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce Practices Censured
31 “It was also said, Whoever divorces(AC) his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.[l](AD) 32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.(AE)
Tell the Truth
33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors,You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.[m](AF) 34 But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.(AG) 36 Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.(AH)
Go the Second Mile
38 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.[n](AI) 39 But I tell you, don’t resist[o] an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.(AJ) 40 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.(AK)
Love Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor[p](AL) and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies[q] and pray for those who[r] persecute you,(AM) 45 so that you may be[s] children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.(AN) 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary?[t](AO) Don’t even the Gentiles[u] do the same? 48 Be perfect,(AP) therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Footnotes
- 5:2 Lit Then opening his mouth
- 5:13 Or how can the earth be salted?
- 5:18 Or not one iota; iota is the smallest letter of the Gk alphabet.
- 5:21 Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17
- 5:22 Other mss add without a cause
- 5:22 Lit Whoever says ‘Raca’; an Aramaic term of abuse that puts someone down, insulting one’s intelligence
- 5:22 Lit Sanhedrin
- 5:22 Lit the gehenna of fire
- 5:25 Other mss read judge will hand you over to
- 5:26 Lit quadrans, the smallest and least valuable Roman coin, worth 1/64 of a daily wage
- 5:27 Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18
- 5:31 Dt 24:1
- 5:33 Lv 19:12; Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21
- 5:38 Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21
- 5:39 Or don’t set yourself against, or don’t retaliate against
- 5:43 Lv 19:18
- 5:44 Other mss add bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
- 5:44 Other mss add mistreat you and
- 5:45 Or may become, or may show yourselves to be
- 5:47 Or doing that is superior; lit doing more
- 5:47 Other mss read tax collectors
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