Gospel according to Matthew 5

¹ Seeing the crowds, he went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples.

² Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

³ ‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Happy the gentle:[*b] they shall have the earth for their heritage.

⁵ Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.

⁶ Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.

⁷ Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.

⁸ Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.

⁹ Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.

¹⁰ Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ ‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account.

¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you. Salt of the earth and light of the world

¹³ ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.

¹⁴ ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden.

¹⁵ No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house.

¹⁶ In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.

¹⁷ ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them.

¹⁸ I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved.

¹⁹ Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰ ‘For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

²¹ ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill;[*c] and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court.

²² But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool”[*d] he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin;[*e] and if a man calls him “Renegade”[*f] he will answer for it in hell fire.

²³ So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

²⁴ leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering.

²⁵ Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.

²⁶ I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.

²⁷ ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery[*g].

²⁸ But I say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

²⁹ If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

³⁰ And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body go to hell.

³¹ ‘It has also been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal.[*h]

³² But I say this to you: everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

³³ ‘Again, you have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord.[*i]

³⁴ But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne;

³⁵ or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king.

³⁶ Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black.

³⁷ All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

³⁸ ‘You have learnt how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.[*j]

³⁹ But I say this to you: offer the wicked man no resistance. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well;

⁴⁰ if a man takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

⁴¹ And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him.

⁴² Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away.

⁴³ ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy.[*k]

⁴⁴ But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you;

⁴⁵ in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.

⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors[*l] do as much, do they not?

⁴⁷ And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not?

⁴⁸ You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.