Matthew

The Sermon on the Mount

1When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him,

2and He began to teach them, saying:

The Beatitudes

3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4Blessed are those who mourn,for they will be comforted.

5Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the earth.

6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be filled.

7Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy.

8Blessed are the pure in heart,for they will see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called sons of God.

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Salt and Light

13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14You are the light of the world. A city on a hillcannot be hidden.

15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

18For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger and Reconciliation

21You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’

22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brotherwill be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’will be subject to the Sanhedrin.But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

25Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he 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

27You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’

28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29If your right eye causes you to sin, 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 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 depart into hell.

Divorce

31It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’

32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her.And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths and Vows

33Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’

34But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

35or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

36Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

37Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.

Love Your Enemies

38You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’

39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also;

40if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well;

41and if someone forces you to go one mile,go with him two miles.

42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’and ‘Hate your enemy.’

44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45that you may be sons 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.

46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?

47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?

48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.

2And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:

3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

5Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

6Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.

10Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:

12Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.

13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.

14You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.

15Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.

16So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

17Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

18For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled.

19He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.

22But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

23If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee;

24Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

25Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.

27You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

28But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.

30And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.

31And it hath been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.

32But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.

33Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.

34But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:

35Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:

36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.

38You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

39But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other:

40And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.

41And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two,

42Give to him that asketh of thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.

43You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy.

44But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:

45That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.

46For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this?

47And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this?

48Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.