Matthew 5
5
The Sermon on the Mount
1When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, # Mk 3:13; Lk 9:28; Jn 6:3,15 and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2Then # Lit Then opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying: # Ac 8:35; 10:34; 18:14
The Beatitudes
3“The poor in spirit are blessed, # Is 57:15; 66:2
for the kingdom of heaven # Mt 19:14; 25:34; Mk 10:14; Lk 6:20 is theirs.
4Those who mourn are blessed, # Is 61:2; Mt 11:29; 21:5; Jn 16:20; Rv 7:17
for they will be comforted.
5The gentle are blessed, # Ps 37:11; Rm 4:13; Rv 21:7
for they will inherit the earth.
6Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, # Is 55:1-2; Jn 4:14; 6:48; 7:37
for they will be filled.
7The merciful are blessed,
for they will be shown mercy. # Pr 11:17; Mt 18:33; Lk 6:36; 2Tm 1:16
8The pure in heart are blessed,
for they will see God. # Ps 24:4; Heb 12:14; 1Jn 3:2; Rv 22:4
9The peacemakers are blessed,
for they will be called sons of God. # Mt 5:45; Lk 6:35; Rm 8:14; Jms 3:18; 1Jn 3:1
10Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed,
for the kingdom of heaven # Mt 19:14; 25:34; Mk 10:14; Lk 6:20; 22:29 is theirs.
11“You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. 12Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted # Mt 2:23; 2Tm 3:12 the prophets who were before you. # Mt 23:37; Ac 7:52; 1Th 2:15
Believers Are Salt and Light
13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. # Mk 9:50; Lk 14:34
14“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. # Pr 4:18; Jn 8:12; Php 2:15 15No one lights a lamp # Jn 5:35; Rv 21:23 and puts it under a basket, # A large basket used to measure grain but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. # Mk 4:21; Lk 8:16; 11:33 16In the same way, let your light shine # Or way, your light must shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. # Mt 9:8; Jn 15:8; 1Pt 2:12
Christ Fulfills the Law
17“Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. # Mt 7:12; Rm 3:31; 10:4; 13:8; Gl 3:24 18For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter # Or not one iota ; iota is the smallest letter of the Gk alphabet. or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. 19Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so 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. # Mt 11:11; 24:35; Lk 16:17; Jms 2:10 20For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder Begins in the Heart
21“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, # Lit to the ancients Do not murder, # Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17 # Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17 and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. # Mt 19:18; 23:31,35; Mk 10:19; Lk 18:20; Rm 13:9; Jms 2:11 22But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother # Other mss add without a cause will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Fool! ’ # Lit Raca, an Aram term of abuse similar to “airhead” will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, ‘You moron! ’ will be subject to hellfire. # Lit the gehenna of fire # Mt 18:9; Mk 9:43; Jms 3:6; 1Jn 3:15 23So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge to # Other mss read judge will hand you over to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. # Pr 25:8; Lk 12:58 26I assure you: You will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny! # Lit quadrans, the smallest and least valuable Roman coin, worth 1/64 of a daily wage
Adultery in the Heart
27“You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. # Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18 # Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18 28But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. # 2Sm 11:2; Jb 31:1; Pr 6:25 29If your right eye causes you to sin, # Mt 18:9; Mk 9:47 gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. # Mt 10:28; 23:15,33; Lk 12:5 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell!
Divorce Practices Censured
31“It was also said, Whoever divorces # Jr 3:1; Mt 19:7; Mk 10:4 his wife must give her a written notice of divorce. # Dt 24:1 # Dt 24:1 32But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, # Gk porneia = fornication, or possibly a violation of Jewish marriage laws causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. # Mt 19:9; Mk 10:11; Lk 16:18; Rm 7:3; 1Co 7:11
Tell the Truth
33“Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, # Lit to the ancients You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. # Lv 19:12; Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21; Mt 23:16 # Lv 19:12; Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21 34But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; 35or by the earth, because it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. # Ps 48:2; Is 66:1; Mt 23:22; Ac 7:49; Jms 5:12 36Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37But let your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ # Say what you mean and mean what you say Anything more than this is from the evil one. # Mt 6:13; 13:19,38; Jn 17:15; 2Th 3:3
Go the Second Mile
38“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. # Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21 # Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21 39But I tell you, don’t resist # Or don’t set yourself against, or don’t retaliate against an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. # Lk 6:29-30; Rm 12:17; 1Co 6:7; 1Pt 3:9 40As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, # Lit tunic ; = inner garment let him have your coat # Or garment ; lit robe ; = outer garment as well. 41And if anyone forces # Roman soldiers could require people to carry loads for them. you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. # Dt 15:8; Lk 6:34
Love Your Enemies
43“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor # Lv 19:18; Dt 23:6; Lk 10:29 # Lv 19:18 and hate your enemy. 44But I tell you, love your enemies # Other mss add bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who # Other mss add mistreat you and persecute you, # Lk 6:27; 23:34; Ac 7:60; Rm 12:20; 1Co 4:12; 1Pt 2:23 45so that you may be # Or may become, or may show yourselves to be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. # Jb 25:3; Mt 5:9; Lk 6:35; Ac 14:17 46For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? # Or doing that is superior ; lit doing more # Mt 5:37; Mk 6:51; Jn 10:10; Rm 3:1; 2Co 9:1 Don’t even the Gentiles # Other mss read tax collectors do the same? 48Be perfect, # Gn 17:1; Lv 19:2; Php 3:15; Col 4:12; Jms 1:4; 1Pt 1:15 therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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Matthew 5: HCSB
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Matthew 5
5
Jesus Teaches the Disciples and Crowds
1Jesus saw the crowds. So he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him. 2Then he began to teach them.
Jesus Gives Blessings
He said,
3“Blessed are those who are spiritually needy.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4Blessed are those who are sad.
They will be comforted.
5Blessed are those who are humble.
They will be given the earth.
6Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for what is right.
They will be filled.
7Blessed are those who show mercy.
They will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are those whose hearts are pure.
They will see God.
9Blessed are those who make peace.
They will be called children of God.
10Blessed are those who suffer for doing what is right.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11“Blessed are you when people make fun of you and hurt you because of me. You are also blessed when they tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12Be joyful and glad. Your reward in heaven is great. In the same way, people hurt the prophets who lived long ago.
Salt and Light
13“You are the salt of the earth. But suppose the salt loses its saltiness. How can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything. It will be thrown out. People will walk all over it.
14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill can’t be hidden. 15Also, people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand. Then it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine so others can see it. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will bring glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Jesus Fulfills the Law
17“Do not think I have come to get rid of what is written in the Law or in the Prophets. I have not come to do this. Instead, I have come to fulfill what is written. 18What I’m about to tell you is true. Heaven and earth will disappear before the smallest letter disappears from the Law. Not even the smallest mark of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is completed. 19Do not ignore even one of the least important commands. And do not teach others to ignore them. If you do, you will be called the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, practice and teach these commands. Then you will be called important in the kingdom of heaven. 20Here is what I tell you. You must be more godly than the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. If you are not, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder
21“You have heard what was said to people who lived long ago. They were told, ‘Do not commit murder. (Exodus 20:13) Anyone who murders will be judged for it.’ 22But here is what I tell you. Do not be angry with a brother or sister. Anyone who is angry with them will be judged. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ must stand trial in court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire in hell.
23“Suppose you are offering your gift at the altar. And you remember that your brother or sister has something against you. 24Leave your gift in front of the altar. First go and make peace with them. Then come back and offer your gift.
25“Suppose someone has a claim against you and is taking you to court. Settle the matter quickly. Do this while you are still together on the way. If you don’t, you may be handed over to the judge. The judge may hand you over to the officer to be thrown into prison. 26What I’m about to tell you is true. You will not get out until you have paid the very last penny!
Adultery
27“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ (Exodus 20:14) 28But here is what I tell you. Do not even look at a woman in the wrong way. Anyone who does has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. Your eye is only one part of your body. It is better to lose an eye than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. Your hand is only one part of your body. It is better to lose a hand than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31“It has been said, ‘Suppose a man divorces his wife. If he does, he must give her a letter of divorce.’ (Deuteronomy 24:1) 32But here is what I tell you. Anyone who divorces his wife makes her a victim of adultery. And anyone who gets married to the divorced woman commits adultery. A man may divorce his wife only if she has not been faithful to him.
Promises
33“Again, you have heard what was said to your people long ago. They were told, ‘Do not break the promises you make to the Lord. Keep your promises to the Lord that you have made.’ 34But here is what I tell you. Do not make any promises like that at all. Do not make them in the name of heaven. That is God’s throne. 35Do not make them in the name of the earth. That is the stool for God’s feet. Do not make them in the name of Jerusalem. That is the city of the Great King. 36And do not make a promise in your own name. You can’t make even one hair of your head white or black. 37All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Be Kind to Others
38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye must be put out for an eye. A tooth must be knocked out for a tooth.’ (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21) 39But here is what I tell you. Do not fight against an evil person. Suppose someone slaps you on your right cheek. Turn your other cheek to them also. 40Suppose someone takes you to court to get your shirt. Let them have your coat also. 41Suppose someone forces you to go one mile. Go two miles with them. 42Give to the one who asks you for something. Don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow something from you.
Love Your Enemies
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor. (Leviticus 19:18) Hate your enemy.’ 44But here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. 45Then you will be children of your Father who is in heaven. He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that. 47If you greet only your own people, what more are you doing than others? Even people who are ungodly do that. 48So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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