Christ Fulfills the Law

^17 (A)“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, ^(B)till heaven and earth pass away, one ^[a]jot or one ^[b]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ^19 (C)Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds ^(D)the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder Begins in the Heart^(E)

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those ^[c]of old, ^(F)‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that ^(G)whoever is angry with his brother ^[d]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ^(H)‘Raca!’^[e] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ^[f]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of ^[g]hell fire. ²³ Therefore ^(I)if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ^24 (J)leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ^25 (K)Agree with your adversary quickly, ^(L)while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Adultery in the Heart

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said ^[h]to those of old, ^(M)‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever ^(N)looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ^29 (O)If your right eye causes you to ^[i]sin, ^(P)pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to ^[j]sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Marriage Is Sacred and Binding^(Q)

³¹ “Furthermore it has been said, ^(R)‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I say to you that ^(S)whoever divorces his wife for any reason except ^[k]sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

Jesus Forbids Oaths

³³ “Again you have heard that ^(T)it was said to those of ^[l]old, ^(U)‘You shall not swear falsely, but ^(V)shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, ^(W)do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is ^(X)God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of ^(Y)the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ^37 (Z)But let ^[m]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Go the Second Mile^(AA)

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ^(AB)‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ^39 (AC)But I tell you not to resist an evil person. ^(AD)But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever ^(AE)compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and ^(AF)from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Love Your Enemies^(AG)

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ^(AH)‘You shall love your neighbor ^(AI)and hate your enemy.’ ^44 [n]But I say to you, ^(AJ)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, ^(AK)do good to those who hate you, and pray ^(AL)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for ^(AM)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ^46 (AN)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your ^[o]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the ^[p]tax collectors do so? ^48 (AO)Therefore you shall be perfect, just ^(AP)as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The Loveless Church

2 “To the ^[a]angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says ^(A)He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, ^(B)who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ^2 (C)“I know your works, your labor, your ^[b]patience, and that you cannot ^[c]bear those who are evil. And ^(D)you have tested those ^(E)who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³ and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have ^(F)not become weary. ⁴ Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, ^(G)or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. ⁶ But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

^7 (H)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give ^(I)to eat from ^(J)the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

The Persecuted Church

⁸ “And to the ^[d]angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says ^(K)the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹ “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are ^(L)rich); and I know the blasphemy of ^(M)those who say they are Jews and are not, ^(N)but are a ^[e]synagogue of Satan. ^10 (O)Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. ^(P)Be faithful until death, and I will give you ^(Q)the crown of life.

^11 (R)“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by ^(S)the second death.” ’

The Compromising Church

¹² “And to the ^[f]angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says ^(T)He who has the sharp two-edged sword: ¹³ “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of ^(U)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, ^(V)to eat things sacrificed to idols, ^(W)and to commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵ Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, ^[g]which thing I hate. ¹⁶ Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and ^(X)will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

¹⁷ “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden ^(Y)manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone ^(Z)a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’