Matthew 5:20-48

20“For I say to you that unless your 1righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

21“2You have heard that 3the ancients were told, ‘4You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be 5liable to 6the court.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be 7guilty before 8the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘9You good-for-nothing,’ shall be 10guilty before 1112the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be 13guilty enough to go into the 1415fiery hell. 23Therefore if you are 16presenting your 17offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your 18offering there before the altar and go; first be 19reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your 20offering. 2521Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26Truly I say to you, 22you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last 23cent.

27“24You have heard that it was said, ‘25You shall not commit adultery’; 28but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman 26with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 2927If your right eye makes you 28stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you 29to lose one of the parts of your body, 30than for your whole body to be thrown into 3132hell. 3033If your right hand makes you 34stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you 35to lose one of the parts of your body, 36than for your whole body to go into 3738hell.

31“It was said, ‘39Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; 3240but I say to you that everyone who 41divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a 42divorced woman commits adultery.

33“Again, 43you have heard that 44the ancients were told, ‘4546You shall not 47make false vows, but shall fulfill your 48vows to the Lord.’ 34But I say to you, 49make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is 50the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is the 51footstool of His feet, or 52by Jerusalem, for it is 53the city of the great King. 36Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is 54of 55evil.

38“56You have heard that it was said, ‘57An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but 58whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40If anyone wants to sue you and take your 59shirt, let him have your 60coat also. 41Whoever 61forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 4262Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

43“63You have heard that it was said, ‘64You shall love your neighbor 65and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, 66love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may 67be 68sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46For 69if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Therefore 7071you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.