Matthew 5:17-6:18

English Standard Version

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

^17 (A)“Do not think that I have come to abolish ^(B)the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but ^(C)to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, ^(D)until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ^19 (E)Therefore whoever relaxes ^(F)one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least ^(G)in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great ^(H)in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds ^(I)that of the scribes and Pharisees, you ^(J)will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

^21 (K)“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ^(L)‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable ^(M)to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that ^(N)everyone who is angry with his brother^[a] will be liable ^(O)to judgment; whoever insults^[b] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to ^(P)the hell^[c] of fire. ^23 (Q)So if ^(R)you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ^25 (S)Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶ Truly, I say to you, ^(T)you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.^[d]

Lust

^27 (U)“You have heard that it was said, ^(V)‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that ^(W)everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ^29 (X)If your right eye ^(Y)causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into ^(Z)hell. ^30 (AA)And if your right hand ^(AB)causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into ^(AC)hell.

Divorce

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

Oaths

³³ “Again ^(AH)you have heard that it was said to those of old, ^(AI)‘You shall not swear falsely, but ^(AJ)shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, ^(AK)Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for ^(AL)it is the throne of God, ³⁵ or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is ^(AM)the city of the great King. ³⁶ And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; ^(AN)anything more than this comes from evil.^[e]

Retaliation

^38 (AO)“You have heard that it was said, ^(AP)‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ But I say to you, ^(AQ)Do not resist the one who is evil. But ^(AR)if anyone ^(AS)slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And ^(AT)if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,^[f] let him have your cloak as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone ^(AU)forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ^42 (AV)Give to the one who begs from you, and ^(AW)do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

^43 (AX)“You have heard that it was said, ^(AY)‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, ^(AZ)Love your enemies and ^(BA)pray for those who persecute you, ^45 (BB)so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and ^(BC)sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ^46 (BD)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,^[g] what more are you doing than others? Do not even ^(BE)the Gentiles do the same? ^48 (BF)You therefore must be ^(BG)perfect, ^(BH)as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Giving to the Needy

6 “Beware of ^(BI)practicing your righteousness before other people in order ^(BJ)to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

^2 (BK)“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may ^(BL)be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have ^(BM)received their reward. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. ^(BN)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

The Lord's Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love ^(BO)to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. ^(BP)Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ⁶ But when you pray, ^(BQ)go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. ^(BR)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

⁷ “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as ^(BS)the Gentiles do, for ^(BT)they think that they will be heard ^(BU)for their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, ^(BV)for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ^9 (BW)Pray then like this:

^14 (CI)For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, ^15 (CJ)but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting

¹⁶ “And ^(CK)when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. ^(CL)Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, ^(CM)anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. ^(CN)And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.