The Beatitudes
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Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on mountainside
and sat down. His disciples came to him,
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and he began to teach them, saying:
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"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
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Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
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Blessed are thos who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
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Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
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Blessed are thepeacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
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Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you
and falsely say all kinds of evil against you bcause of me.
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Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,
for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Salt and Light
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"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
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"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
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Neither the people do light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.
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In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
The Fulfillment of the Law
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"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets,
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
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I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law
until everything is accomplished.
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Anyone who breaks 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 practices and teaches these commands will be called
in the kingdom of heaven.
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For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees
and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Murder
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"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago,
'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'
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But I tell you that anyone who is angry , ' with his brother will be subject to judgment.
Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca, ' is answerableto the Sanhedrin.
But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell
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"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar
and there remember that your brother has something against you.
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leave your guilt there in front of the altar.
First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift.
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"Settle matters quickly with your adversaryouy who is tking you to court.
Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over
to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
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I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid last penny."
Adultery
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"You have heard that it was said,
'Do not commit adultery'
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But I tell that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully
has already committed with her in his heart.
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If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of ,your body than for your whole body
to be thrown into hell.
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And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body
to go into hell.
Divorce
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"It has been said,
'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a crtificate of divorce.'
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But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness,
causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman
commits adultery.
Oaths
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"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago,
'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'
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But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
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or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem,
for it is the city of the Great King.
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And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
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Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,'
and your 'No,'; anything beyond this come from the evil one.
An Eye for an Eye
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"You have heard that it was said,
'Eye for eye, and tooyh for tooth.'
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But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.
If someone strikes you on the right cheek,
turn to him the other also.
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And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic,
let him have your cloak as well.
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If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
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Give to the one who asks you,
and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Love for Enemies
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"You have heard that it was said,
'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
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But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
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that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise
on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the uprightones.
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If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
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And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?
Do not even pagans do tat?
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Be perfect, therefore, as your heaveny Father is perfect.
