Matthew 5:21-48 ▼

21 |You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'Do not murder;' and 'Whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'

22 But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be liable to judgment; and whoever will say to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be in danger of the council; and whoever will say, 'You fool,' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

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

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

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

26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.

27 |You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery;'

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

29 And if your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you.[note: idiom meaning to stop doing a sin] For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you.[note: idiom meaning to stop doing a sin] For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

31 |And it was said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce,'

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

33 |Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'Do not make false vows, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.'

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

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

36 Neither should you swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

37 But 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.'

39 But I tell you, do not set yourself against the one who is evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if anyone sues you to take away your shirt, let him have your coat also.

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

42 Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

43 |You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'

44 But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,

45 that 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.

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

47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do than others? Do not even the non-Jews do the same?

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