Matthew 5:18-28

18 "For truly I say to you, ¹until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

19 "Whoever * then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least ²in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever * keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 "For I say to you that unless * your ³righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Personal Relationships

21 "⁴You have heard that the ancients were told, '⁵YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER ' and 'Whoever * commits murder shall be liable to ⁶the court.'

22 "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before ⁷the court; and whoever * says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before ⁸the supreme court; and whoever * says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the ⁹fiery hell.

23 "Therefore if you are ¹⁰presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be ¹¹reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

25 "¹²Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

26 "Truly I say to you, ¹³you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

27 "¹⁴You have heard that it was said, '¹⁵YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY ';

28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman ¹⁶with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 24:35; Luke 16:17
• 2. Matthew 11:11
• 3. Luke 18:11, 12
• 4. Matt 5:27, 33, 38, 43
• 5. Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17
• 6. Deuteronomy 16:18; 2 Chronicles 19:5
• 7. Deuteronomy 16:18; 2 Chronicles 19:5
• 8. Matthew 10:17; Matthew 26:59; Mark 13:9; Mark 14:55; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66; John 11:47; Acts 4:15; Acts 5:21; Acts 6:12; Acts 22:30; Acts 23:1; Acts 24:20
• 9. Matthew 5:29; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 18:9; Matthew 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43f; Luke 12:5; James 3:6
• 10. Matthew 5:24
• 11. Romans 12:17, 18
• 12. Proverbs 25:8; Luke 12:58
• 13. Luke 12:59
• 14. Matt 5:21, 33, 38, 43
• 15. Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18
• 16. 2 Samuel 11:2-5; Job 31:1; Matthew 15:19; James 1:14, 15

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "one iota" (Heb yodh) or "one projection of a letter" (serif)
• [b]. Gr "anthropoi"
• [c]. Lit "does"
• [d]. Lit "it was said to the ancients"
• [e]. Or "guilty before"
• [f]. Or "liable to"
• [g]. Or "empty-head;" Gr "Raka (Raca)" fr Aram "reqa"
• [h]. Or "liable to"
• [i]. Lit "the Sanhedrin"
• [j]. Or "liable to"
• [k]. Lit "Gehenna of fire"
• [l]. Or "gift"
• [m]. Or "gift"
• [n]. Or "gift"
• [o]. Lit "quadrans" (equaling two mites); i.e. 1/64 of a daily wage