Matthew, 5

1. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

1. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him.

2. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

2. Then he spoke and began to teach them:

3. Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

3. Fortunate are those who have the spirit of the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

4. Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.

5. Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

5. Fortunate are the gentle, they shall possess the land.

6. Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

6. Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

7. Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

7. Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.

8. Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

8. Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.

9. Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

9. Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.

10. Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

10. Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11. Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

11. Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers.

12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

12. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God. This is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

13. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

13. You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its strength, how can it be made salty again? It has become useless. It can only be thrown away and people will trample on it.

14. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

14. You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden.

15. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

15. No one lights a lamp and covers it; instead it is put on a lampstand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.

16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

16. In the same way your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do and praise your Father in heaven.

17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

17. Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove but to fulfill them.

18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

18. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will change until all is fulfilled.

19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

19. So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same will be great in the kingdom of heaven.

20. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

20. I tell you, then, that if you are not righteous in a better way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

21. You have heard that it was said to our people in the past: Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial.

22. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

22. But now I tell you: whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial. Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council; whoever humiliates a brother or sister deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell.

23. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

23. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you,

24. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

24. leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

25. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

25. Don't forget this: be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail.

26. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

26. There you will stay, until you have paid the last penny.

27. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

27. You have heard that it was said: Do not commit adultery.

28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

28. But I tell you this: anyone who looks at a woman to satisfy his lust has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

29. So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

30. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

31. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

31. It was also said: anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.

32. But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

32. But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

33. You have also heard that people were told in the past: Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept.

34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

34. But I tell you this: do not take oaths. Do not swear by the heavens, for they are God's throne,

35. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

35. nor by the earth, because it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem because it is the city of the great king.

36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

36. Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

37. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

37. Say yes when you mean yes and say no when you mean no. Anything else you say comes from the devil.

38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

38. You have heard that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

39. But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other.

40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloke also.

40. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well.

41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

41. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

42. Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you.

43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

43. You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy.

44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

44. But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,

45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

45. so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

46. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

46. If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much?

47. And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so?

47. And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much?

48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

48. For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect.