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
Young's Literal Translation
5 And having seen the multitudes, he went up to the mount, and he having sat down, his disciples came to him,
2 and having opened his mouth, he was teaching them, saying:
3 `Happy the poor in spirit -- because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
4 `Happy the mourning -- because they shall be comforted.
5 `Happy the meek -- because they shall inherit the land.
6 `Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness -- because they shall be filled.
7 `Happy the kind -- because they shall find kindness.
8 `Happy the clean in heart -- because they shall see God.
9 `Happy the peacemakers -- because they shall be called Sons of God.
10 `Happy those persecuted for righteousness' sake -- because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
11 `Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake --
12 rejoice ye and be glad, because your reward [is] great in the heavens, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you.
13 `Ye are the salt of the land, but if the salt may lose savour, in what shall it be salted? for nothing is it good henceforth, except to be cast without, and to be trodden down by men.
14 `Ye are the light of the world, a city set upon a mount is not able to be hid;
15 nor do they light a lamp, and put it under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, and it shineth to all those in the house;
16 so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who [is] in the heavens.
17 `Do not suppose that I came to throw down the law or the prophets -- I did not come to throw down, but to fulfill;
18 for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass.
19 `Whoever therefore may loose one of these commands -- the least -- and may teach men so, least he shall be called in the reign of the heavens, but whoever may do and may teach [them], he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.
20 `For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens.
21 `Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill, and whoever may kill shall be in danger of the judgment;
22 but I -- I say to you, that every one who is angry at his brother without cause, shall be in danger of the judgment, and whoever may say to his brother, Empty fellow! shall be in danger of the sanhedrim, and whoever may say, Rebel! shall be in danger of the gehenna of the fire.
23 `If, therefore, thou mayest bring thy gift to the altar, and there mayest remember that thy brother hath anything against thee,
24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go -- first be reconciled to thy brother, and then having come bring thy gift.
25 `Be agreeing with thy opponent quickly, while thou art in the way with him, that the opponent may not deliver thee to the judge, and the judge may deliver thee to the officer, and to prison thou mayest be cast,
26 verily I say to thee, thou mayest not come forth thence till that thou mayest pay the last farthing.
27 `Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not commit adultery;
28 but I -- I say to you, that every one who is looking on a woman to desire her, did already commit adultery with her in his heart.
29 `But, if thy right eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee, for it is good to thee that one of thy members may perish, and not thy whole body be cast to gehenna.
30 `And, if thy right hand doth cause thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast from thee, for it is good to thee that one of thy members may perish, and not thy whole body be cast to gehenna.
31 `And it was said, That whoever may put away his wife, let him give to her a writing of divorce;
32 but I -- I say to you, that whoever may put away his wife, save for the matter of whoredom, doth make her to commit adultery; and whoever may marry her who hath been put away doth commit adultery.
33 `Again, ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not swear falsely, but thou shalt pay to the Lord thine oaths;
34 but I -- I say to you, not to swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is the throne of God,
35 nor by the earth, because it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is a city of a great king,
36 nor by thy head mayest thou swear, because thou art not able one hair to make white or black;
37 but let your word be, Yes, Yes, No, No, and that which is more than these is of the evil.
38 `Ye heard that it was said: Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth;
39 but I -- I say to you, not to resist the evil, but whoever shall slap thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other;
40 and whoever is willing to take thee to law, and thy coat to take -- suffer to him also the cloak.
41 `And whoever shall impress thee one mile, go with him two,
42 to him who is asking of thee be giving, and him who is willing to borrow from thee thou mayest not turn away.
43 `Ye heard that it was said: Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and shalt hate thine enemy;
44 but I -- I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you,
45 that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.
46 `For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same?
47 and if ye may salute your brethren only, what do ye abundant? do not also the tax-gatherers so?
48 ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who [is] in the heavens is perfect.
Matthieu 5
Louis Segond
5 Voyant la foule, Jésus monta sur la montagne; et, après qu'il se fut assis, ses disciples s'approchèrent de lui.
2 Puis, ayant ouvert la bouche, il les enseigna, et dit:
3 Heureux les pauvres en esprit, car le royaume des cieux est à eux!
4 Heureux les affligés, car ils seront consolés!
5 Heureux les débonnaires, car ils hériteront la terre!
6 Heureux ceux qui ont faim et soif de la justice, car ils seront rassasiés!
7 Heureux les miséricordieux, car ils obtiendront miséricorde!
8 Heureux ceux qui ont le coeur pur, car ils verront Dieu!
9 Heureux ceux qui procurent la paix, car ils seront appelés fils de Dieu!
10 Heureux ceux qui sont persécutés pour la justice, car le royaume des cieux est à eux!
11 Heureux serez-vous, lorsqu'on vous outragera, qu'on vous persécutera et qu'on dira faussement de vous toute sorte de mal, à cause de moi.
12 Réjouissez-vous et soyez dans l'allégresse, parce que votre récompense sera grande dans les cieux; car c'est ainsi qu'on a persécuté les prophètes qui ont été avant vous.
13 Vous êtes le sel de la terre. Mais si le sel perd sa saveur, avec quoi la lui rendra-t-on? Il ne sert plus qu'à être jeté dehors, et foulé aux pieds par les hommes.
14 Vous êtes la lumière du monde. Une ville située sur une montagne ne peut être cachée;
15 et on n'allume pas une lampe pour la mettre sous le boisseau, mais on la met sur le chandelier, et elle éclaire tous ceux qui sont dans la maison.
16 Que votre lumière luise ainsi devant les hommes, afin qu'ils voient vos bonnes oeuvres, et qu'ils glorifient votre Père qui est dans les cieux.
17 Ne croyez pas que je sois venu pour abolir la loi ou les prophètes; je suis venu non pour abolir, mais pour accomplir.
18 Car, je vous le dis en vérité, tant que le ciel et la terre ne passeront point, il ne disparaîtra pas de la loi un seul iota ou un seul trait de lettre, jusqu'à ce que tout soit arrivé.
19 Celui donc qui supprimera l'un de ces plus petits commandements, et qui enseignera aux hommes à faire de même, sera appelé le plus petit dans le royaume des cieux; mais celui qui les observera, et qui enseignera à les observer, celui-là sera appelé grand dans le royaume des cieux.
20 Car, je vous le dis, si votre justice ne surpasse celle des scribes et des pharisiens, vous n'entrerez point dans le royaume des cieux.
21 Vous avez entendu qu'il a été dit aux anciens: Tu ne tueras point; celui qui tuera mérite d'être puni par les juges.
22 Mais moi, je vous dis que quiconque se met en colère contre son frère mérite d'être puni par les juges; que celui qui dira à son frère: Raca! mérite d'être puni par le sanhédrin; et que celui qui lui dira: Insensé! mérite d'être puni par le feu de la géhenne.
23 Si donc tu présentes ton offrande à l'autel, et que là tu te souviennes que ton frère a quelque chose contre toi,
24 laisse là ton offrande devant l'autel, et va d'abord te réconcilier avec ton frère; puis, viens présenter ton offrande.
25 Accorde-toi promptement avec ton adversaire, pendant que tu es en chemin avec lui, de peur qu'il ne te livre au juge, que le juge ne te livre à l'officier de justice, et que tu ne sois mis en prison.
26 Je te le dis en vérité, tu ne sortiras pas de là que tu n'aies payé le dernier quadrant.
27 Vous avez appris qu'il a été dit: Tu ne commettras point d'adultère.
28 Mais moi, je vous dis que quiconque regarde une femme pour la convoiter a déjà commis un adultère avec elle dans son coeur.
29 Si ton oeil droit est pour toi une occasion de chute, arrache-le et jette-le loin de toi; car il est avantageux pour toi qu'un seul de tes membres périsse, et que ton corps entier ne soit pas jeté dans la géhenne.
30 Et si ta main droite est pour toi une occasion de chute, coupe-la et jette-la loin de toi; car il est avantageux pour toi qu'un seul de tes membres périsse, et que ton corps entier n'aille pas dans la géhenne.
31 Il a été dit: Que celui qui répudie sa femme lui donne une lettre de divorce.
32 Mais moi, je vous dis que celui qui répudie sa femme, sauf pour cause d'infidélité, l'expose à devenir adultère, et que celui qui épouse une femme répudiée commet un adultère.
33 Vous avez encore appris qu'il a été dit aux anciens: Tu ne te parjureras point, mais tu t'acquitteras envers le Seigneur de ce que tu as déclaré par serment.
34 Mais moi, je vous dis de ne jurer aucunement, ni par le ciel, parce que c'est le trône de Dieu;
35 ni par la terre, parce que c'est son marchepied; ni par Jérusalem, parce que c'est la ville du grand roi.
36 Ne jure pas non plus par ta tête, car tu ne peux rendre blanc ou noir un seul cheveu.
37 Que votre parole soit oui, oui, non, non; ce qu'on y ajoute vient du malin.
38 Vous avez appris qu'il a été dit: oeil pour oeil, et dent pour dent.
39 Mais moi, je vous dis de ne pas résister au méchant. Si quelqu'un te frappe sur la joue droite, présente-lui aussi l'autre.
40 Si quelqu'un veut plaider contre toi, et prendre ta tunique, laisse-lui encore ton manteau.
41 Si quelqu'un te force à faire un mille, fais-en deux avec lui.
42 Donne à celui qui te demande, et ne te détourne pas de celui qui veut emprunter de toi.
43 Vous avez appris qu'il a été dit: Tu aimeras ton prochain, et tu haïras ton ennemi.
44 Mais moi, je vous dis: Aimez vos ennemis, bénissez ceux qui vous maudissent, faites du bien à ceux qui vous haïssent, et priez pour ceux qui vous maltraitent et qui vous persécutent,
45 afin que vous soyez fils de votre Père qui est dans les cieux; car il fait lever son soleil sur les méchants et sur les bons, et il fait pleuvoir sur les justes et sur les injustes.
46 Si vous aimez ceux qui vous aiment, quelle récompense méritez-vous? Les publicains aussi n'agissent-ils pas de même?
47 Et si vous saluez seulement vos frères, que faites-vous d'extraordinaire? Les païens aussi n'agissent-ils pas de même?
48 Soyez donc parfaits, comme votre Père céleste est parfait.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
