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
New Living Translation
The Sermon on the Mount
5 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,[a]
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,[b]
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
Teaching about Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Teaching about the Law
17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’[c] 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone,[d] you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[e] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[f] you are in danger of the fires of hell.[g]
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[h] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.[i]
Teaching about Adultery
27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’[j] 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your eye—even your good eye[k]—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand[l]—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Teaching about Divorce
31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’[m] 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
Teaching about Vows
33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’[n] 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Teaching about Revenge
38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’[o] 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,[p] carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.
Teaching about Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[q] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies![r] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends,[s] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Footnotes
- 5:3 Greek poor in spirit.
- 5:6 Or for righteousness.
- 5:21 Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17.
- 5:22a Some manuscripts add without cause.
- 5:22b Greek uses an Aramaic term of contempt: If you say to your brother, ‘Raca.’
- 5:22c Greek if you say, ‘You fool.’
- 5:22d Greek Gehenna; also in 5:29, 30.
- 5:23 Greek gift; also in 5:24.
- 5:26 Greek the last kodrantes [i.e., quadrans].
- 5:27 Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18.
- 5:29 Greek your right eye.
- 5:30 Greek your right hand.
- 5:31 Deut 24:1.
- 5:33 Num 30:2.
- 5:38 Greek the law that says: ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21.
- 5:41 Greek milion [4,854 feet or 1,478 meters].
- 5:43 Lev 19:18.
- 5:44 Some manuscripts add Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Compare Luke 6:27-28.
- 5:47 Greek your brothers.
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
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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