Matthew 5
5
Jesus Teaches the People
1Jesus saw the crowds who were there. He went up on a hill and sat down. His followers came to him. 2Jesus taught the people and said:
3“Those people who know they have great spiritual needs are happy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4Those who are sad now are happy.
God will comfort them.
5Those who are humble are happy.
The earth will belong to them.
6Those who want to do right more than anything else are happy.
God will fully satisfy them.
7Those who give mercy to others are happy.
Mercy will be given to them.
8Those who are pure in their thinking are happy.
They will be with God.
9Those who work to bring peace are happy.
God will call them his sons.
10Those 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. 12Rejoice 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. 15And 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. 16In 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. 18I 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. 19Whoever 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. 20I 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.# Quotation from Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17. Anyone who murders another will be judged.’ 22But I tell you, if you are angry with your brother,# Some Greek copies continue, “without a reason.” 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, 24leave 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. 26I 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.’# Quotation from Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18. 28But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman with lust, he has already committed adultery with her in his mind. 29If 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. 30If 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.’# Quotation from Deuteronomy 24:1. 32But 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.’# Quotation from Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21. 34But I tell you, never make an oath. Don’t make an oath using the name of heaven, because heaven is God’s throne. 35Don’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. 36And 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. 37Say 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.’# Quotation from Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21. 39But 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. 40If someone wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, then let him have your coat too. 41If a soldier forces you to go with him one mile, then go with him two miles. 42If 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# Quotation from Leviticus 19:18. and hate your enemies.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you.# Some Greek copies continue, “Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.” Compare Luke 6:28. 45If 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. 46If you love only the people who love you, then you will get no reward. Even the tax collectors do that. 47And 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. 48So you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Matthew 5
5
The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes
1 Now when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal saw the crowds, he went up the mountain and after he#*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“sat down”) which is understood as temporal sat down, his disciples approached him. 2And opening his mouth he began to teach them, saying,
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are the ones who mourn,
because they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
because they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
because they will be satisfied.
7Blessed are the merciful,
because they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
because they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
because they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11Blessed are you
when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
The Sermon on the Mount: Salt and Light
13“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, by what will it be made salty? It is good for nothing any longer except to be thrown outside and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“thrown”) has been translated as a finite verb trampled under foot by people. 14You are the light of the world. A city located on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15nor do they light a lamp and place it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house. 16In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
The Sermon on the Mount: The Law and the Prophets Fulfilled
17“Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place. 19Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I say to you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The Sermon on the Mount: Anger Toward Others
21“You have heard that it was said to the people of old,#Literally “ancients” ‘Do not commit murder,’#A quotation from Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17 and ‘whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Stupid fool!’#Greek “Raca,” a term of verbal abuse involving lack of intelligence will be subject to the council, and whoever says, ‘Obstinate fool!’#Perhaps with the idea of obstinate, godless foolishness; some take the word to be a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word for “rebel” (Deut 21:18, 20) will be subject to fiery hell. 23Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and first go be reconciled to your brother, and then come and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“come”) has been translated as a finite verb present your gift. 25Settle the case quickly with your accuser#Literally “be making friends quickly with your accuser” while you are with him on the way, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26Truly I say to you, you will never come out of there until you have paid back the last penny!
The Sermon on the Mount: Adultery and Lust
27“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’#A quotation from Exod 20:14; Deut 5:17 28But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell.
The Sermon on the Mount: Divorce
31“And it was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’#A quotation from Deut 24:1 32But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The Sermon on the Mount: Taking Oaths
33“Again you have heard that it was said to the people of old,#Literally “ancients” ‘Do not swear falsely,#Or “do not break your oath” but fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’#A quotation from Lev 19:12 34But I say to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, because it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king. 36And do not swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37But let your statement be ‘Yes, yes; no, no,’ and anything beyond these is from the evil one.#Or “is of evil”
The Sermon on the Mount: Retaliation
38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’#A quotation from Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20 39But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer, but whoever strikes you on the right cheek,#Some manuscripts have “your right cheek” turn the other to him also. 40And the one who wants to go to court with you and take your tunic, let him have#Literally “leave to him” your outer garment also. 41And whoever forces you to go one mile,#A Roman mile was originally a thousand paces, but was later fixed at eight stades (1,478.5 meters) go with him two. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
The Sermon on the Mount: Love for Enemies
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’#A quotation from Lev 19:18 and ‘Hate your enemy.’#An allusion to Deut 23:3–6 44But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, because he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not the tax collectors also do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not the Gentiles also do the same? 48Therefore you be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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