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Matthew 5:17-48
Christian Standard Bible

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.(A) 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter[a] 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.(B) 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,[b](C) and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.(D) 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister[c] will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults[d] his brother or sister will be subject to the court.[e] Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.[f](E) 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[g] the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.(F) 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.[h]

Adultery Begins in the Heart

27 “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.[i](G) 28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.(H) 29 If your right eye causes you to sin,(I) 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.(J) 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(K) his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.[j](L) 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.(M)

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.[k](N) 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.(O) 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.(P)

Go the Second Mile

38 “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.[l](Q) 39 But I tell you, don’t resist[m] an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.(R) 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.(S)

Love Your Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor[n](T) and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies[o] and pray for those who[p] persecute you,(U) 45 so that you may be[q] 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.(V) 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?[r](W) Don’t even the Gentiles[s] do the same? 48 Be perfect,(X) therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:18 Or not one iota; iota is the smallest letter of the Gk alphabet.
  2. 5:21 Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17
  3. 5:22 Other mss add without a cause
  4. 5:22 Lit Whoever says ‘Raca’; an Aramaic term of abuse that puts someone down, insulting one’s intelligence
  5. 5:22 Lit Sanhedrin
  6. 5:22 Lit the gehenna of fire
  7. 5:25 Other mss read judge will hand you over to
  8. 5:26 Lit quadrans, the smallest and least valuable Roman coin, worth 1/64 of a daily wage
  9. 5:27 Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18
  10. 5:31 Dt 24:1
  11. 5:33 Lv 19:12; Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21
  12. 5:38 Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21
  13. 5:39 Or don’t set yourself against, or don’t retaliate against
  14. 5:43 Lv 19:18
  15. 5:44 Other mss add bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
  16. 5:44 Other mss add mistreat you and
  17. 5:45 Or may become, or may show yourselves to be
  18. 5:47 Or doing that is superior; lit doing more
  19. 5:47 Other mss read tax collectors
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Matthew 5:17-48
New Living Translation

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.’[a] 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone,[b] you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,[c] you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,[d] you are in danger of the fires of hell.[e]

23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[f] 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.[g]

Teaching about Adultery

27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’[h] 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[i]—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[j]—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.’[k] 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.’[l] 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.’[m] 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,[n] 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’[o] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies![p] 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,[q] 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:21 Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17.
  2. 5:22a Some manuscripts add without cause.
  3. 5:22b Greek uses an Aramaic term of contempt: If you say to your brother, ‘Raca.’
  4. 5:22c Greek if you say, ‘You fool.’
  5. 5:22d Greek Gehenna; also in 5:29, 30.
  6. 5:23 Greek gift; also in 5:24.
  7. 5:26 Greek the last kodrantes [i.e., quadrans].
  8. 5:27 Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18.
  9. 5:29 Greek your right eye.
  10. 5:30 Greek your right hand.
  11. 5:31 Deut 24:1.
  12. 5:33 Num 30:2.
  13. 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.
  14. 5:41 Greek milion [4,854 feet or 1,478 meters].
  15. 5:43 Lev 19:18.
  16. 5:44 Some manuscripts add Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Compare Luke 6:27-28.
  17. 5:47 Greek your brothers.
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