Chapter 5

And seeing the crowds, he went up the mountain. And when he was seated, his disciples came to him.

And opening his mouth he taught them, saying,

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

Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when men reproach you, and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for my sake.

Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven; for so did they persecute the prophets who were before you.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its strength, what shall it be salted with? It is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.

Neither do men light a lamp and put it under the measure, but upon the lamp-stand, so as to give light to all in the house.

Even so let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. The Old Law and the New

"Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

For amen I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall be lost from the Law till all things have been accomplished.

Therefore whoever carries them out and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I say to you that unless your justice exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Against Anger

"You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not kill'; and that whoever shall kill shall be liable to judgment.

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, 'Raca, ' shall be liable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, 'Thou fool! ', shall be liable to the fire of Gehenna.

Therefore, if thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother has anything against thee,

leave thy gift before the altar and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Come to terms with thy opponent quickly while thou art with him on the way; lest thy opponent quickly deliver thee to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Amen I say to thee, thou wilt not come out from it until thou hast paid the last penny. Chastity of Mind and Body

"You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery. '

But I say to you that anyone who so much as looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

"So if thy right eye is an occasion of sin to thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee that one of thy members should perish than that thy whole body should be thrown into hell.

And if thy right hand is an occasion of sin to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee that one of thy members should be lost than that thy whole body should go into hell. Divorce

"It was said, moreover, 'Whoever puts away his wife, let him give her a written notice of dismissal.

But I say to you that everyone who puts away his wife, save on account of immorality, causes her to commit adultery; and he who marries a woman who has been put away commits adultery. Concerning Oaths

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Thou shalt not swear falsely, but fulfill thy oaths to the Lord. '

But I say to you not to swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Neither do thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.

But let your speech be, 'Yes, yes'; No, no'; and whatever is beyond these comes from the evil one. The New Law of Retaliation

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

But I say to you not to resist the evildoer; on the contrary, if someone strike thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;

and if anyone would go to law with thee and take thy tunic, let him take thy cloak as well;

and whoever forces thee to go for one mile, go with him two.

To him who asks of thee, give; and from him who would borrow of thee, do not turn away. The Love of Enemies

"You have heard that it was said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and shalt hate thy enemy. '

But I say to you, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and calumniate you,

so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, who makes his sun to rise on the good and the evil, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

For if you love those that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even the publicans do that?

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

You therefore are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.