Matthew 5

₁₁God will bless you when people insult you, ill-treat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. ₁₂Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.

₁₃You are like 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.

₁₄You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, ₁₅and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. ₁₆Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

₁₇Don't suppose that 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. ₁₈Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a full stop or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.

₁₉If 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. ₂₀You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

₂₁You know that our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” ₂₂But I promise you that 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.

₂₃So if you are about to place your gift on the altar and remember that someone is angry with you, ₂₄leave your gift there in front of the altar. Make peace with that person, then come back and offer your gift to God.

₂₅Before 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. ₂₆I promise you that you will not get out until you have paid the last penny you owe.

₂₇You know the commandment which says, “Be faithful in marriage.” ₂₈But I tell you that if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts. ₂₉If 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. ₃₀If 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.

₃₁You have been taught that a man who divorces his wife must write out divorce papers for her. ₃₂But 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.

₃₃You know that our ancestors were told, “Don't use the Lord's name to make a promise unless you are going to keep it.” ₃₄But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise! Heaven is God's throne, so don't swear by heaven. ₃₅The 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. ₃₆Don't swear by your own head. You cannot make one hair white or black. ₃₇When you make a promise, say only “Yes” or “No”. Anything else comes from the devil.

₃₈You know that you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” ₃₉But 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. ₄₀If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. ₄₁If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one kilometre, carry it two kilometres. ₄₂When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.

₄₃You have heard people say, “Love your neighbours and hate your enemies.” ₄₄But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who ill-treats you. ₄₅Then 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. ₄₆If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. ₄₇If you greet only your friends, what's so great about that? Don't even unbelievers do that? ₄₈But you must always act like your Father in heaven.