A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;^{(A) 44} for each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a bramble bush.^{(B) 45} The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil, for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.^(C)

The Two Foundations

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?^{(D) 47} I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them.^{(E) 48} That one is like a man building a house who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built.^{[a] 49} But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it quickly collapsed, and great was the ruin of that house.”

The Law and the Prophets

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.^{(A) 18} For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,^[a] not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.^{(B) 19} Therefore, whoever breaks^[b] one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.^{(C) 20} For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Concerning Anger

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’^{(D) 22} But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister,^[c] you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult^[d] a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council, and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell^[e] of fire.^{(E) 23} So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you,^{(F) 24} leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court^[f] with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.^{(G) 26} Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Concerning Adultery

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’^{(H) 28} But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.^{(I) 29} If your right eye causes you to sin,^[g] tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.^{[h](J) 30} And if your right hand causes you to sin,^[i] cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.^[j]

Concerning Divorce

³¹ “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’^{(K) 32} But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Concerning Oaths

³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’^{(L) 34} But I say to you: Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,^{(M) 35} or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.^[k]

Concerning Retaliation

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’^{(N) 39} But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also,^{(O) 40} and if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, give your coat as well, ⁴¹ and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. ⁴² Give to the one who asks of you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.^(P)

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’^{(Q) 44} But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,^{(R) 45} so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.^{(S) 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 greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(T)

Shining as Lights in the World

¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling,^{(A) 13} for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

¹⁴ Do all things without murmuring and arguing,^{(B) 15} so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world,^{(C) 16} holding forth the word of life so that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.^(D)

The New Life in Christ

3 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{(A) 2} Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth, ³ for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.^{(B) 4} When Christ who is your^[a] life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.^(C)

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).^{(D) 6} On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.^{[b](E) 7} These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.^{[c] 8} But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive^[d] language from your mouth.^{(F) 9} Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.^{(G) 11} In that renewal^[e] there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!^(H)

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.^{(I) 13} Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord^[f] has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.