Matthew 5:11-48

11“Blessed are you when people 1insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for 2in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13“You are the salt of the earth; but 3if the salt has become tasteless, how 4can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.

14“You are 5the light of the world. A city set on a 6hill cannot be hidden; 157nor do people light a lamp and put it under a 8basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may 9see your good works, and 10glorify your Father who is in heaven.

17“Do not presume that I came to abolish the 11Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 18For truly I say to you, 12until heaven and earth pass away, not 13the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished! 19Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches 14others to do the same, shall be called least 15in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever 16keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20“For I say to you that unless your 17righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

21“18You have heard that 19the ancients were told, ‘20You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to 21the court.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to 22the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘23You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to 2425the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the 2627fiery hell. 23Therefore, if you are 28presenting your 29offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your 30offering there before the altar and go; first be 31reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your 32offering. 253334Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. 26Truly I say to you, 35you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last 36quadrans.

27“37You have heard that it was said, ‘38You shall not commit adultery’; 28but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman 39with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29Now 40if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, 41than for your whole body to be thrown into 4243hell. 30And 44if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you 45to lose one of the parts of your body, 46than for your whole body to go into 4748hell.

31“Now it was said, ‘49Whoever sends his wife away is to give her a certificate of divorce’; 3250but I say to you that everyone who 51divorces his wife, except for the reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a 52divorced woman commits adultery.

33“Again, 53you have heard that 54the ancients were told, ‘5556You shall not 57make false vows, but shall fulfill your 58vows to the Lord.’ 34But I say to you, 59take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is 60the throne of God, 35nor by the earth, for it is the 61footstool of His feet, nor 62by Jerusalem, for it is 63the city of the great King. 36Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37But make sure your statement is, ‘64Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is 65of 66evil origin.

38“67You have heard that it was said, ‘68Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I say to you, do not show opposition against an evil person; but 69whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other toward him also. 40And if anyone wants to sue you and take your 70tunic, let him have your 71cloak also. 41Whoever 72forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 4273Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

43“74You have heard that it was said, ‘75You shall love your neighbor 76and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, 77love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may prove yourselves to be 78sons 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 79if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same? 48Therefore 80you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.