Matthew, 5

1. Seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain. And when he was seated his disciples came to him.

1. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him.

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

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

3. How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance.

4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5. Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted.

5. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill.

6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7. Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.

7. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

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

8. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9. Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognised as children of God.

9. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10. Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

10. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11. 'Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account.

11. "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely 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.

12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13. 'You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet.

13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

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

14. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

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.

15. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

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

16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is 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.

17. "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.

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

18. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

19. Therefore, anyone 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 person who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of Heaven.

19. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20. 'For I tell you, if your uprightness does not surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of Heaven.

20. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

21. 'You have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You shall not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court.

21. "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.'

22. But I say this to you, anyone who is angry with a brother will answer for it before the court; anyone who calls a brother "Fool" will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and anyone who calls him "Traitor" will answer for it in hell fire.

22. But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire.

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

23. So if you are offering your gift at 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.

24. leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

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.

25. Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison;

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

26. truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.

27. 'You have heard how it was said, You shall not commit adultery.

27. "You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery.'

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.

28. But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

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

29. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

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

30. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

31. 'It has also been said, Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal.

31. "It was also said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'

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

32. But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33. 'Again, you have heard how it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord.

33. "Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.'

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

34. But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

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

35. or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it 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.

36. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one 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.

37. Let what you say be simply `Yes' or `No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

38. 'You have heard how it was said: Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.

38. "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

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

39. But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;

40. if someone wishes to go to law with you to get your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

40. and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well;

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

41. and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

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

42. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.

43. 'You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbour and hate your enemy.

43. "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

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

44. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45. so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike.

45. so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

46. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much?

46. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47. And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional?

47. And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

48. Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.'

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