Matthew 5
5
The Sermon on a Mountain: the Beatitudes
1When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them:
3“Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4Blessed are those who mourn.
They will be comforted.
5Blessed are those who are gentle.
They will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s approval.
They will be satisfied.
7Blessed are those who show mercy.
They will be treated mercifully.
8Blessed are those whose thoughts are pure.
They will see God.
9Blessed are those who make peace.
They will be called God’s children.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what God approves of.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11“Blessed are you when people insult you,
persecute you,
lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me.
12Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven!
The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways.
God’s People Make a Difference in the World
(Mark 4:21–23; Luke 11:33)
13“You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people.
14“You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. 15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. 16In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven.
Jesus Fulfills the Old Testament Scriptures
17“Don’t ever think that I came to set aside Moses’ Teachings or the Prophets. I didn’t come to set them aside but to make them come true. 18I can guarantee this truth: Until the earth and the heavens disappear, neither a period nor a comma will disappear from the Scriptures before everything has come true. 19So whoever sets aside any command that seems unimportant and teaches others to do the same will be unimportant in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches what the commands say will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20I can guarantee that unless you live a life that has God’s approval and do it more faithfully than the experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus Talks about Anger
21“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Never murder. Whoever murders will answer for it in court.’ 22But I can guarantee that whoever is angry with another believer #5:22 Some manuscripts and translations add “without a cause.” will answer for it in court. Whoever calls another believer an insulting name will answer for it in the highest court. Whoever calls another believer a fool will answer for it in hellfire.
23“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and remember there that another believer has something against you, 24leave your gift at the altar. First go away and make peace with that person. Then come back and offer your gift.
25“Make peace quickly with your opponent while you are on the way to court with him. Otherwise, he will hand you over to the judge. Then the judge will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. 26I can guarantee this truth: You will never get out until you pay every penny of your fine.
About Sexual Sin
27“You have heard that it was said, ‘Never commit adultery.’ 28But I can guarantee that whoever looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery in his heart.
29“So if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have all of it thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand leads you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have all of it go into hell.
31“It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice.’ 32But I can guarantee that any man who divorces his wife for any reason other than unfaithfulness makes her look as though she has committed adultery. Whoever marries a woman divorced in this way makes himself look as though he has committed adultery.
About Oaths
33“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Never break your oath, but give to the Lord what you swore in an oath to give him.’ 34But I tell you don’t swear an oath at all. Don’t swear an oath by heaven, which is God’s throne, 35or by the earth, which is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, which is the city of the great King. 36And don’t swear an oath by your head. After all, you cannot make one hair black or white. 37Simply say yes or no. Anything more than that comes from the evil one.
Love Your Enemies
(Luke 6:27–36)
38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I tell you not to oppose an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn your other cheek to him as well. 40If someone wants to sue you in order to take your shirt, let him have your coat too. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with him. 42Give to everyone who asks you for something. Don’t turn anyone away who wants to borrow something from you.
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. 45In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust. 46If you love those who love you, do you deserve a reward? Even the tax collectors do that! 47Are you doing anything remarkable if you welcome only your friends? Everyone does that! 48That is why you must be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Currently Selected:
Matthew 5: GW
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Mattithyahu (Matthew) 5
5
1But when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountain. And when He was seated His taught ones came to Him.
2And having opened His mouth, He was teaching them, saying,
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
4Blessed are those who mourn, because they shall be comforted.
5“Blessed are the meek, because they shall inherit the earth.# Psa. 37:11#See Psa. 37:9; Psa. 37:11; Psa. 37:22; Psa. 37:29; Psa. 37:34
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,#See Isa. 55:1, 2; Mat. 4:4; John 6:48, 49, 50, 51 because they shall be filled.
7“Blessed are the compassionate, because they shall obtain compassion.
8Blessed are the clean in heart,#See Psa. 24:3, 4 because they shall see Elohim.
9“Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called sons of Elohim.
10Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness’ sake,#See 1Pe. 3:14 because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
11“Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and falsely say every wicked word against you, for My sake.
12Rejoice and be glad, because your reward in the heavens is great. For in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, how shall it be seasoned? For it is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and to be trodden down by men.
14You are the light of the world. It is impossible for a city to be hidden on a mountain.
15“Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines to all those in the house.
16Let your light so shine before men, so that they see your good works and praise your Father who is in the heavens.
17Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets.#The Law and the Prophets is a term used for the pre-Messianic Scriptures. I did not come to destroy but to complete.
18For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one yod or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done.#See Luke 16:17
19“Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.
20For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,#See also Mat. 23:28; Mat. 15:3-9; Mark 7:7-13; John 7:19; Acts 7:53; Rom. 2:23-27; Gal. 6:13 you shall by no means enter into the reign of the heavens.
21“You heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ # Exo. 20:13; Deu. 5:17 and whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.
22But I say to you that whoever is wroth with his brother without a cause shall be liable to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raka!’ shall be liable to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to fire of GĕHinnom.
23“If, then, you bring your gift to the slaughter-place, and there remember that your brother holds whatever against you,
24leave your gift there before the slaughter-place, and go, first make peace with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25Be well-minded with your opponent, promptly, while you are on the way with him, lest your opponent deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26“Truly, I say to you, you shall by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
27You heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’# Exo. 20:14; Deu. 5:18
28“But I say to you that everyone looking at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29And if your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is better for you that one of your members perish, than for your entire body to be thrown into GĕHinnom.
30“And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. For it is better for you that one of your members perish, than for your entire body to be thrown into GĕHinnom.
31And it has been said, ‘Whoever puts away his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’# Deu. 24:1
32But I say to you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the matter of whoring,#See also Deu. 24:1; Mat. 19:9 makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries a woman who has been put away commits adultery.
33“Again, you heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to יהוה.’# Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; Deu. 23:21
34But I say to you, do not swear [vainly]#Shem Toḇ texts include ‘vainly’ = Hebrew: Shaw’. at all, neither by the heaven, because it is Elohim’s throne;
35nor by the earth, for it is His footstool# Isa. 66:1 nor by Yerushalayim, for it is the city of the great Sovereign;# Psa. 48:2
36nor swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.
37“But let your word ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ And what goes beyond these is from the wicked one.
38You heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’# Exo. 21:24#This was the principle for the judges to follow, while יהושע speaks in the next verse of our personal conduct.
39but I say to you, do not resist the wicked. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
40“And he who wishes to sue you and take away your inner garment, let him have your outer garment as well.
41And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42“Give to him who asks of you, and from him who wishes to borrow from you, do not turn away.
43You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour# Lev. 19:18 and hate your enemy.’# Hate your enemy was “said,” not “written.”
44“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those insulting you and persecuting you,
45so that you become sons of your Father in the heavens. Because He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.# Luke 6:35; Act.14:16, 17
46“For if you love those loving you, what reward have you? Are the tax collectors not doing the same too?
47And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Are the tax collectors not doing so too?
48Therefore, be perfect,# Gen. 17:1; Psa. 119:1; 1John 2:5; Heb. 6:1 as your Father in the heavens is perfect.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright© 1993 – 2015 by the Institute for Scripture Research (ISR). All rights reserved.