Now
when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for
they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Salt and
Light
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its
saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good
for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its 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 praise your Father in
heaven.
The
Fulfillment of the Law
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I
tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the
smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means
disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone
who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches
others to do the same 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. For I tell you that unless
your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the
teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of
heaven.
Murder
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do
not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be
subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, Raca,
is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!'
will be in danger of the fire of hell.
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and
there remember that your brother has something against you, leave
your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled
to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you
to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or 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. I tell you the truth,
you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Adultery
You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I
tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart. If 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. And 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 go into hell.
Divorce
"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give
her a certificate of divorce. 'But I tell you that anyone who
divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her
to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman
commits adultery.
Oaths
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long
ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to
the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven,
for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool;
or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not
swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or
black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No';
anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
An Eye for an Eye
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for
tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if
someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your
cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him
two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from
the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and
hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you, that 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. If you love those
who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax
collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what
are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be
perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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