Matthew 5:17-48

New International Version

The Fulfillment of the Law

¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.^(A) ¹⁸For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.^(B) ¹⁹Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands^(C) and teaches others accordingly 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. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.^(D)

Murder^(E)

²¹“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,^[a]^(F) and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry^(G) with a brother or sister^[b]^[c] will be subject to judgment.^(H) Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’^[d] is answerable to the court.^(I) And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.^(J)

²³“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery

²⁷“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’^[e]^(K) ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.^(L) ²⁹If your right eye causes you to stumble,^(M) 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. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to stumble,^(N) 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 go into hell.

Divorce

³¹“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’^[f]^(O) ³²But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.^(P)

Oaths

³³“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath,^(Q) but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’^(R) ³⁴But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all:^(S) either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;^(T) ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.^(U) ³⁶And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;^(V) anything beyond this comes from the evil one.^[g]^(W)

Eye for Eye

³⁸“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^[h]^(X) ³⁹But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.^(Y) ⁴⁰And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴²Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.^(Z)

Love for Enemies

⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[i]^(AA) and hate your enemy.’^(AB) ⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,^(AC) ⁴⁵that you may be children^(AD) of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.^(AE) ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?^(AF) Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(AG)

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Footnotes

Matthew 5:21 Exodus 20:13
Matthew 5:22 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verse 23.
Matthew 5:22 Some manuscripts brother or sister without cause
Matthew 5:22 An Aramaic term of contempt
Matthew 5:27 Exodus 20:14
Matthew 5:31 Deut. 24:1
Matthew 5:37 Or from evil
Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21
Matthew 5:43 Lev. 19:18

Revelation 2:1-17

New International Version

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel^[a] of the church in Ephesus^(A) write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand^(B) and walks among the seven golden lampstands.^(C) ²I know your deeds,^(D) your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested^(E) those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.^(F) ³You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,^(G) and have not grown weary.

⁴Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.^(H) ⁵Consider how far you have fallen! Repent^(I) and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand^(J) from its place. ⁶But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,^(K) which I also hate.

⁷Whoever has ears, let them hear^(L) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,^(M) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life,^(N) which is in the paradise^(O) of God.

To the Church in Smyrna

⁸“To the angel of the church in Smyrna^(P) write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last,^(Q) who died and came to life again.^(R) ⁹I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!^(S) I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not,^(T) but are a synagogue of Satan.^(U) ¹⁰Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you,^(V) and you will suffer persecution for ten days.^(W) Be faithful,^(X) even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.^(Y)

¹¹Whoever has ears, let them hear^(Z) what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.^(AA)

To the Church in Pergamum

¹²“To the angel of the church in Pergamum^(AB) write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.^(AC) ¹³I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me,^(AD) not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,^(AE) who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.^(AF)

¹⁴Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:^(AG) There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,^(AH) who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols^(AI) and committed sexual immorality.^(AJ) ¹⁵Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.^(AK) ¹⁶Repent^(AL) therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.^(AM)

¹⁷Whoever has ears, let them hear^(AN) what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious,^(AO) I will give some of the hidden manna.^(AP) I will also give that person a white stone with a new name^(AQ) written on it, known only to the one who receives it.^(AR)