The Sermon on the Mount

1 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain,  * 5:1 Mk 3:13; Lk 9:28; Jn 6:3,15 and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then  * 5:2 Lit Then opening his mouth he began to teach them, saying:  * 5:2 Ac 8:35; 10:34; 18:14

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit,* 5:3 Is 57:15; 66:2

for the kingdom of heaven* 5:3 Mt 19:14; 25:34; Mk 10:14; Lk 6:20is theirs.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,* 5:4 Is 61:2; Mt 11:29; 21:5; Jn 16:20; Rv 7:17

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the humble,* 5:5 Ps 37:11; Rm 4:13; Rv 21:7

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,* 5:6 Is 55:1–2; Jn 4:14; 6:48; 7:37

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.* 5:7 Pr 11:17; Mt 18:33; Lk 6:36; 2Tm 1:16

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.* 5:8 Ps 24:4; Heb 12:14; 1Jn 3:2; Rv 22:4

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.* 5:9 Mt 5:45; Lk 6:35; Rm 8:14; Jms 3:18; 1Jn 3:1

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for the kingdom of heaven* 5:10 Mt 19:14; 25:34; Mk 10:14; Lk 6:20; 22:29is theirs.

11 "You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me.12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted* 5:12 Mt 2:23; 2Tm 3:12the prophets who were before you.* 5:12 Mt 23:37; Ac 7:52; 1Th 2:15

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty?* 5:13 Or how can the earth be salted?It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.* 5:13 Mk 9:50; Lk 14:34

14 "You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.* 5:14 Pr 4:18; Jn 8:12; Php 2:1515 No one lights a lamp* 5:15 Jn 5:35; Rv 21:23and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.* 5:15 Mk 4:21; Lk 8:16; 11:3316 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.* 5:16 Mt 9:8; Jn 15:8; 1Pt 2:12

17 "Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.* 5:17 Mt 7:12; Rm 3:31; 10:4; 13:8; Gl 3:2418 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter* 5:18 Or not one iota; iota is the smallest letter of the Gk alphabet.or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished.19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.* 5:18–19 Mt 11:11; 24:35; Lk 16:17; Jms 2:1020 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

21 "You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder,* 5:21 Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17,* 5:21 Ex 20:13; Dt 5:17and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.* 5:21 Mt 19:18; 23:31,35; Mk 10:19; Lk 18:20; Rm 13:9; Jms 2:1122 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister* 5:22 Other mss add without a causewill be subject to judgment. Whoever insults* 5:22 Lit Whoever says ‘Raca’; an Aramaic term of abuse that puts someone down, insulting one’s intelligencehis brother or sister will be subject to the court.* 5:22 Lit SanhedrinWhoever says, ‘You fool! ’ will be subject to hellfire.* 5:22 Lit the gehenna of fire,* 5:22 Mt 18:9; Mk 9:43; Jms 3:6; 1Jn 3:1523 So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you,24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to* 5:25 Other mss read judge will hand you over tothe officer, and you will be thrown into prison.* 5:25 Pr 25:8; Lk 12:5826 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.* 5:26 Lit quadrans, the smallest and least valuable Roman coin, worth 1/64 of a daily wage

27 "You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.* 5:27 Ex 20:14; Dt 5:18,* 5:27 Ex 20:14; Dt 5:1828 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.* 5:28 2Sm 11:2; Jb 31:1; Pr 6:2529 If your right eye causes you to sin,* 5:29 Mt 18:9; Mk 9:47gouge 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.* 5:29 Mt 10:28; 23:15,33; Lk 12:530 And 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.

31 "It was also said, Whoever divorces* 5:31 Jr 3:1; Mt 19:7; Mk 10:4his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.* 5:31 Dt 24:1,* 5:31 Dt 24:132 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.* 5:32 Mt 19:9; Mk 10:11; Lk 16:18; Rm 7:3; 1Co 7:11

33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.* 5:33 Lv 19:12; Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21,* 5:33 Lv 19:12; Nm 30:2; Dt 23:21; Mt 23:1634 But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne;35 or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.* 5:34–35 Ps 48:2; Is 66:1; Mt 23:22; Ac 7:49; Jms 5:1236 Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.37 But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.* 5:37 Mt 6:13; 13:19,38; Jn 17:15; 2Th 3:3

38 "You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.* 5:38 Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21,* 5:38 Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:2139 But I tell you, don’t resist* 5:39 Or don’t set yourself against, or don’t retaliate againstan evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.* 5:39 Lk 6:29–30; Rm 12:17; 1Co 6:7; 1Pt 3:940 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well.41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.42 Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.* 5:42 Dt 15:8; Lk 6:34

43 "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor* 5:43 Lv 19:18,* 5:43 Lv 19:18; Dt 23:6; Lk 10:29and hate your enemy.44 But I tell you, love your enemies* 5:44 Other mss add bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,and pray for those who* 5:44 Other mss add mistreat you andpersecute you,* 5:44 Lk 6:27; 23:34; Ac 7:60; Rm 12:20; 1Co 4:12; 1Pt 2:2345 so that you may be* 5:45 Or may become, or may show yourselves to bechildren 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.* 5:45 Jb 25:3; Mt 5:9; Lk 6:35; Ac 14:1746 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary?* 5:47 Or doing that is superior; lit doing more,* 5:47 Mt 5:37; Mk 6:51; Jn 10:10; Rm 3:1; 2Co 9:1Don’t even the Gentiles* 5:47 Other mss read tax collectorsdo the same?48 Be perfect,* 5:48 Gn 17:1; Lv 19:2; Php 3:15; Col 4:12; Jms 1:4; 1Pt 1:15therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.