The Sermon on the Mount
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down.
Blessings
(Luke 6.20-23)Jesus' disciples gathered around him, 2 and he taught them:
3 God blesses those people
who depend only on him.
They belong to the kingdom
of heaven!
4 God blesses those people
who grieve.
They will find comfort!
5 God blesses those people
who are humble.
The earth will belong
to them!
6 God blesses those people
who want to obey him
more than to eat or drink.
They will be given
what they want!
7 God blesses those people
who are merciful.
They will be treated
with mercy!
8 God blesses those people
whose hearts are pure.
They will see him!
9 God blesses those people
who make peace.
They will be called
his children!
10 God blesses those people
who are treated badly
for doing right.
They belong to the kingdom
of heaven.
11 God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.
Salt and Light
(Mark 9.50Luke 14.34Luke 35)13 You are the salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on.
14 You are the light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15 and no one lights a lamp and puts it under a clay pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. 16 Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven.
The Law of Moses
17 Don't suppose I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. 18 Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.
19 If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. 20 You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
21 You know our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” 22 But I promise you if you are angry with someone, you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.
23 So if you are about to place your gift on the altar and remember that someone is angry with you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. Make peace with that person, then come back and offer your gift to God.
25 Before you are dragged into court, make friends with the person who has accused you of doing wrong. If you don't, you will be handed over to the judge and then to the officer who will put you in jail. 26 I promise you will not get out until you have paid the last cent you owe.
Marriage
27 You know the commandment which says, “Be faithful in marriage.” 28 But I tell you if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body, than for your whole body to end up in hell. 30 If your right hand causes you to sin, chop it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one part of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Divorce
(Matthew 19.9Mark 10.11Mark 12Luke 16.18)31 You have been taught that a man who divorces his wife must write out divorce papers for her. 32 But I tell you not to divorce your wife unless she has committed some terrible sexual sin. If you divorce her, you will cause her to be unfaithful, just as any man who marries her is guilty of taking another man's wife.
Promises
33 You know our ancestors were told, “Don't use the Lord's name to make a promise unless you are going to keep it.” 34 But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise! Heaven is God's throne, so don't swear by heaven. 35 The earth is God's footstool, so don't swear by the earth. Jerusalem is the city of the great king, so don't swear by it. 36 Don't swear by your own head. You cannot make one hair white or black. 37 When you make a promise, say only “Yes” or “No.” Anything else comes from the devil.
Revenge
(Luke 6.29Luke 30)38 You know you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39 But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. 40 If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. 41 If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one kilometer, carry it two kilometers. 42 When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.
Love
(Luke 6.27Luke 28Luke 32-36)43 You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” 44 But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. 45 Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. 46 If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors love their friends. 47 If you greet only your friends, what's so great about this? Don't even unbelievers do that? 48 But you must always act like your Father in heaven.
1 And when he sawe the multitude, he went vp into a mountaine: and when he was set, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, 3 Blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. 4 Blessed are they that mourne: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meeke: for they shall inherite the earth. 6 Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnes: for they shalbe filled. 7 Blessed are the mercifull: for they shall obteine mercie. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peace makers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake: for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. 11 Blessed shall ye be when men reuile you, and persecute you, and say all maner of euill against you for my sake, falsely. 12 Reioyce and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen: for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt haue lost his sauour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be troden vnder foote of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A citie that is set on an hill, cannot be hid. 15 Neither doe men light a candel, and put it vnder a bushel, but on a candlesticke, and it giueth light vnto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Lawe, or the Prophets. I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfill them. 18 For truely I say vnto you, Till heauen, and earth perish, one iote or one title of the Law shall not scape, till all things be fulfilled. 19 Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements, and teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen: but whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen. 20 For I say vnto you, except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises, ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen. 21 Ye haue heard that it was sayd vnto them of the olde time, Thou shalt not kill: for whosoeuer killeth shalbe culpable of iudgement. 22 But I say vnto you, whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly, shalbe culpable of iudgment. And whosoeuer sayth vnto his brother, Raca, shalbe worthy to be punished by the Councill. And whosoeuer shall say, Foole, shalbe worthy to be punished with hell fire. 23 If then thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, 24 Leaue there thine offring before the altar, and goe thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine aduersarie quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him, lest thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to ye sergeant, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verely I say vnto thee, thou shalt not come out thence, till thou hast payed the vtmost farthing. 27 Ye haue heard that it was sayd to them of olde time, Thou shalt not commit adulterie. 28 But I say vnto you, that whosoeuer looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adulterie with her already in his heart. 29 Wherefore if thy right eye cause thee to offend, plucke it out, and cast it from thee: for better it is for thee, that one of thy members perish, then that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 Also if thy right hand make thee to offend, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish, then that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 31 It hath bene sayd also, Whosoeuer shall put away his wife, let him giue her a bill of diuorcement. 32 But I say vnto you, whosoeuer shall put away his wife (except it be for fornication) causeth her to commit adulterie: and whosoeuer shall marrie her that is diuorced, committeth adulterie. 33 Againe, ye haue heard that it was sayd to them of old time, Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe, but shalt performe thine othes to the Lord. 34 But I say vnto you, Sweare not at all, neither by heauen, for it is the throne of God: 35 Nor yet by the earth: for it is his footestoole: neither by Hierusalem: for it is the citie of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou sweare by thine head, because thou canst not make one heare white or blacke. 37 But let your communication be Yea, yea: Nay, nay. For whatsoeuer is more then these, commeth of euill. 38 Ye haue heard that it hath bene sayd, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I say vnto you, Resist not euill: but whosoeuer shall smite thee on thy right cheeke, turne to him the other also. 40 And if any man wil sue thee at the law, and take away thy coate, let him haue thy cloke also. 41 And whosoeuer will compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twaine. 42 Giue to him that asketh, and from him that would borowe of thee, turne not away. 43 Ye haue heard that it hath bin said, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour, and hate your enemie. 44 But I say vnto you, Loue your enemies: blesse them that curse you: doe good to them that hate you, and pray for them which hurt you, and persecute you, 45 That ye may be the children of your father that is in heauen: for he maketh his sunne to arise on the euill, and the good, and sendeth raine on the iust, and vniust. 46 For if ye loue them, which loue you, what rewarde shall you haue? Doe not the Publicanes euen the same? 47 And if ye be friendly to your brethren onely, what singular thing doe ye? doe not euen the Publicanes likewise? 48 Ye shall therefore be perfit, as your Father which is in heauen, is perfite.