¹Seeing the multitudes , he went up onto the mountain . When he had sat down , his disciples came to him .

²He opened his mouth and taught them , saying ,

³“ Blessed are the poor in spirit ,

for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven .

⁴Blessed are those who mourn ,

for they shall be comforted .

⁵Blessed are the gentle ,

for they shall inherit the earth .

⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness ,

for they shall be filled .

⁷Blessed are the merciful ,

for they shall obtain mercy .

⁸Blessed are the pure in heart ,

for they shall see God .

⁹Blessed are the peacemakers ,

for they shall be called children of God .

¹⁰Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness ’ sake ,

for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven .

¹¹“ Blessed are you when people reproach you , persecute you , and say all kinds of evil against you falsely , for my sake .

¹²Rejoice , and be exceedingly glad , for great is your reward in heaven . For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you .

¹³“ You are the salt of the earth , but if the salt has lost its flavour, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing , but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men .

¹⁴“ You are the light of the world . A city located on a hill can ’ t be hidden .

¹⁵Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket , but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house .

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

¹⁷“Don’ t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets . I didn’ t come to destroy , but to fulfil .

¹⁸For most certainly , I tell you , until heaven and earth pass away , not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law , until all things are accomplished .[#5:18 literally, iota; #5:18 or, serif]

¹⁹Therefore , whoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach others to do so , shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven ; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven .

²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees , there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven .

²¹“ You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones , ‘ You shall not murder ;’ and ‘ Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement.’[#Exodus 20:13]

²²But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgement. Whoever says to his brother, ‘ Raca !’ will be in danger of the council . Whoever says , ‘ You fool !’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.[#5:22 NU omits “without a cause”.; #5:22 “Raca” is an Aramaic insult, related to the word for “empty” and conveying the idea of empty-headedness.; #5:22 or, Hell]

²³“ If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar , and there remember that your brother has anything against you ,

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

²⁵Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way ; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge , and the judge deliver you to the officer , and you be cast into prison .

²⁶Most certainly I tell you , you shall by no means get out of there until you have paid the last penny .[#5:26 literally, kodrantes. A kodrantes was a small copper coin worth about 2 lepta (widow’s mites)—not enough to buy very much of anything.]

²⁷“ You have heard that it was said , ‘ You shall not commit adultery ;’[#5:27 TR adds “to the ancients”.; #Exodus 20:14]

²⁸but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart .

²⁹If your right eye causes you to stumble , pluck it out and throw it away from you . For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.[#5:29 or, Hell]

³⁰If your right hand causes you to stumble , cut it off , and throw it away from you . For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.[#5:30 or, Hell]

³¹“ It was also said , ‘ Whoever shall put away his wife , let him give her a writing of divorce,’[#Deuteronomy 24:1]

³²but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife , except for the cause of sexual immorality , makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery .

³³“ Again you have heard that it was said to the ancient ones , ‘ You shall not make false vows , but shall perform to the Lord your vows ,’[#Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:4]

³⁴but I tell you , don’ t swear at all : neither by heaven , for it is the throne of God ;

³⁵nor by the earth , for it is the footstool of his feet ; nor by Jerusalem , for it is the city of the great King .

³⁶Neither shall you swear by your head , for you can ’ t make one hair white or black .

³⁷But let your ‘ Yes ’ be ‘ Yes ’ and your ‘ No ’ be ‘ No .’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one .

³⁸“ You have heard that it was said , ‘ An eye for an eye , and a tooth for a tooth .’[#Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21]

³⁹But I tell you , don’ t resist him who is evil ; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek , turn to him the other also .

⁴⁰If anyone sues you to take away your coat , let him have your cloak also .

⁴¹Whoever compels you to go one mile , go with him two .

⁴²Give to him who asks you , and don’ t turn away him who desires to borrow from you .

⁴³“ You have heard that it was said , ‘ You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy .’[#Leviticus 19:18; #5:43 not in the Bible, but see Qumran Manual of Discipline Ix, 21-26]

⁴⁴But I tell you , love your enemies , bless those who curse you , do good to those who hate you , and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you ,

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

⁴⁶For if you love those who love you , what reward do you have ? Don’ t even the tax collectors do the same ?

⁴⁷If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others ? Don’ t even the tax collectors do the same ?[#5:47 NU reads “Gentiles” instead of “tax collectors”.]

⁴⁸Therefore you shall be perfect , just as your Father in heaven is perfect .