Matthew 5
Worldwide English (New Testament)
5 When Jesus saw the many people, he went up on a hill. He sat down and his disciples came to him.
2 He began to teach the people.
3 He said, `God makes happy those who know that they need him. The kingdom of heaven is for them.
4 `God makes happy those who are sad. They will have comfort.
5 `God makes happy those who quietly trust him and do not try to get their own way. The world will belong to them.
6 `God makes happy those who are hungry and thirsty for what is right and good. They will be filled.
7 `God makes happy those who are kind. He will be kind to them.
8 `God makes happy those who have clean hearts. They will see God.
9 `God makes happy those who make peace between people. They will be called God's sons.
10 `God makes happy those who have trouble for doing what is right. The kingdom of heaven is for them.
11 `God makes you happy when people say wrong things about you, when they trouble you, and when they say all kinds of lies about you. God makes you happy when it is for my sake.
12 Be happy and glad because God will be good to you in heaven. In the same way people troubled the prophets before your time.'
13 `You are like salt in the world. If salt has lost its taste, how can it be made salty again? Salt that has no taste is good for nothing. The only thing to do is to throw it out on the road.
14 `You are like light in the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 So also with a lamp. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. But they put it on the place for a lamp. Then all the people in the house can see its light.
16 So, let your light shine to all people. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father in heaven.'
17 `Do not think that I have come to take away the law and the writings of the prophets. No, I have not come to take them away. But I have come to do what they say must be done.
18 I tell you the truth. Until the sky and the earth are taken away, not one small part of the law will be taken away, until everything has been done.
19 So anyone who does not obey one of the smallest laws, and teaches other people not to obey it, will have the smallest part in the kingdom of heaven. But any one who obeys and teaches the law, will have a big part in the kingdom of heaven.
20 I tell you, you must do much better than the scribes and Pharisees. If you do not, then you will never go into the kingdom of heaven.'
21 `You have heard this said to men long ago, "Do not kill. Anyone who kills will be judged in court."
22 `But I tell you this. Anyone who is angry with his brother without having a good reason, will be judged in court. Anyone who says wrong things to his brother will be judged for it in the big court. Anyone who says "You fool!" will be judged to go into hell fire.
23 `Perhaps you are bringing your gift to God at his altar. There you remember that your brother has something against you.
24 If so, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go to your brother and make things right with him. Then come and give your gift to God.
25 `If someone wants to take you to court, make an agreement with him quickly on the way. If you do not, he will take you to the judge. The judge will give you to the guard, and the guard will put you in prison.
26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out of prison until you have paid every piece of money.'
27 `You have heard that the law says, "Do not commit adultery [have another man or woman who is not your husband or wife]."
28 But I tell you that if a man looks at a woman and he wants her, then he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 `If your right eye makes you do wrong, take it out and throw it away. It is better to lose a part of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 If your right hand makes you do wrong, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose a part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell fire.
31 `The law said, "Any man who does not want to keep his wife must give her a paper to tell others she is no longer his wife."
32 But I tell you, no man may send away his wife unless she has committed adultery. If he does send her away, he is making her commit adultery. And if a man marries a woman who has been sent away from her husband, he commits adultery.'
33 `Also you have heard this said to men long ago, "You must not make a promise in God's name and break it." And, "You must do for the Lord what you said you would do."
34 `But I tell you, do not make a promise in God's name. Do not use the name of heaven, because that is where God rules.
35 Do not use the name of earth, because that is where God rests his feet. Do not use the name of Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.
36 Do not make a promise by your head, because you cannot make one hair of your head white or black.
37 You must mean "Yes" when you say "Yes". You must mean "No" when you say "No". To say anything more than that is wrong.'
38 `You have heard that the law says, "Take an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth."
39 But I tell you, do not fight with anyone who does wrong to you. But if someone hits you on one side of your face, turn the other side to him also.
40 `If anyone takes you to court to get your shirt, let him have your coat also.
41 If anyone wants you to help carry a load, go with him twice as far.
42 When someone asks you for something, give it to him. When someone wants to borrow something from you, let him have it.'
43 `You have heard that the law says, "Love your neighbour and hate your enemy."
44 But I tell you, love your enemies. Ask God to do good to those who trouble you.
45 In that way you will be sons of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun shine on both wrong and good people. He lets the rain fall on people who do right and on people who do wrong.
46 If you love only those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that.
47 Do you speak to your brothers only? If so, you are not doing any better than other people. Even people who do not believe in God do that.
48 You must be good in every way, as your Father in heaven is good in every way.'
Matthew 5
Holman 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 “The poor in spirit are blessed,(C)
for the kingdom of heaven(D) is theirs.
4 Those who mourn are blessed,(E)
for they will be comforted.
5 The gentle are blessed,(F)
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed,(G)
for they will be filled.
7 The merciful are blessed,
for they will be shown mercy.(H)
8 The pure in heart are blessed,
for they will see God.(I)
9 The peacemakers are blessed,
for they will be called sons of God.(J)
10 Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed,
for the kingdom of heaven(K) is theirs.
11 “You are blessed when they insult 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? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men.(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,[b] 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[c] before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.(R)
Christ Fulfills the Law
17 “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.(S) 18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter[d] or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices 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 enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors,[e] Do not murder,(U)[f] and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.(V) 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother[g] will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Fool!’[h] will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You moron!’ will be subject to hellfire.[i](W) 23 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge to[j] the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.(X) 26 I assure you: You will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny![k]
Adultery in the Heart
27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.(Y)[l] 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her 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.(AD)[m] 32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality,[n] 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,[o] You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.(AF)[p] 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 Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But let your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’[q] 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.(AI)[r] 39 But I tell you, don’t resist[s] 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,[t] let him have your coat[u] as well. 41 And if anyone forces[v] 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(AL)[w] and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies[x] and pray for those who[y] persecute you,(AM) 45 so that you may be[z] sons 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, what are you doing out of the ordinary?[aa](AO) Don’t even the Gentiles[ab] do the same? 48 Be perfect,(AP) therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Footnotes
- Matthew 5:2 Lit Then opening His mouth
- Matthew 5:15 A large basket used to measure grain
- Matthew 5:16 Or way, your light must shine
- Matthew 5:18 Or not one iota; iota is the smallest letter of the Gk alphabet.
- Matthew 5:21 Lit to the ancients
- Matthew 5:21 Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17
- Matthew 5:22 Other mss add without a cause
- Matthew 5:22 Lit Raca, an Aram term of abuse similar to “airhead”
- Matthew 5:22 Lit the gehenna of fire
- Matthew 5:25 Other mss read judge will hand you over to
- Matthew 5:26 Lit quadrans, the smallest and least valuable Roman coin, worth 1⁄64 of a daily wage
- Matthew 5:27 Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18
- Matthew 5:31 Dt 24:1
- Matthew 5:32 Gk porneia = fornication, or possibly a violation of Jewish marriage laws
- Matthew 5:33 Lit to the ancients
- Matthew 5:33 Lv 19:12; Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21
- Matthew 5:37 Say what you mean and mean what you say
- Matthew 5:38 Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21
- Matthew 5:39 Or don’t set yourself against, or don’t retaliate against
- Matthew 5:40 Lit tunic; = inner garment
- Matthew 5:40 Or garment; lit robe; = outer garment
- Matthew 5:41 Roman soldiers could require people to carry loads for them.
- Matthew 5:43 Lv 19:18
- Matthew 5:44 Other mss add bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
- Matthew 5:44 Other mss add mistreat you and
- Matthew 5:45 Or may become, or may show yourselves to be
- Matthew 5:47 Or doing that is superior; lit doing more
- Matthew 5:47 Other mss read tax collectors
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