Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he
had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He opened his mouth and
taught them, saying,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness'
sake,
For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
"Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and
say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice,
and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that
is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its
flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but
to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
You are the
light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden.
Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but
on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
Even so,
let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father who is in heaven.
"Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets.
I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For most assuredly, I
tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest
letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law,
until all things are accomplished.
Whoever, therefore, shall
break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall
be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and
teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
For I
tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and
Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
"You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You
shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the
judgment.'
But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever
shall say to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council;
and whoever shall say, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of
Gehenna.
"If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and
there remember that your brother has anything against you,
leave
your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled
to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Agree with
your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps
the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to
the officer, and you be cast into prison.
Most assuredly I tell
you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the
last penny.
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit
adultery;'
but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to
lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw
it away from you. For it is profitable for you that one of your members
should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away
from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should
perish, and not your whole body be thrown into Gehenna.
"It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him
give her a writing of divorce,'
but I tell you that whoever who
puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes
her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits
adultery.
"Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time,
'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your
vows,'
but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven,
for it is the throne of God;
nor by the earth, for it is the
footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the
great King.
Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't
make one hair white or black.
But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and
your 'No' be 'no.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth.'
But I tell you, don't resist him who is
evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the
other also.
If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him
have your cloak also.
Whoever compels you to go one mile, go
with him two.
Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him
who desires to borrow from you.
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your
neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
But I tell you, love your
enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and
pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
that you may
be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise
on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?
Don't even the tax collectors do the same?
If you only greet
your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax
collectors do the same?
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as
your Father in heaven is perfect.