Matthew 5

5:25  Agree with thine adversary¹ quickly, while thou art with him in the way²; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer³, and thou be cast into prison⁴.

"In this brief allegory one is supposed to have an adversary at law who has just cause against him, and who will certainly gain a verdict when the case comes to court. The plaintiff himself used to apprehend the defendant"

The defendant is, therefore, advised to agree with this adversary whilethe two are alone on the way to the judge, and thus prevent a trial.Jesus still has in mind the preceding case of one who has given offenseto his brother. Every such one is going to the final judgment, and willthere be condemned unless he now becomes reconciled to his brother.

5:26  Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing²¹.

5:27  Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery¹:

5:28  but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her¹ hath committed adultery with her already in his heart².

5:29  And if thy right eye¹ causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee²: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell.

5:30  And if thy right hand¹ causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee²: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell.

5:31  It was said also¹, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

5:32  but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress¹: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery².

5:33  Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths¹:

5:34  but I say unto you, swear not at all¹; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;

5:35  nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King¹.

5:36  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head¹, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.

"Swearing is a sin whereunto neither profit incites, nor pleasure allures, nor necessity compels, nor inclination of nature persuades."

5:37  But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay¹: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil [one].

5:38  Ye have heard that it was said¹, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth²:

5:39  but I say unto you, resist not him that is evil¹: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also².

5:40  And if any man would go to law with thee¹, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

"Be ready to give up even that which by law cannot be taken."

This case, as the one just above, is also an instance of pettypersecution, and shows that the command does not forbid a righteousappeal to the law in cases where large and important interests areinvolved.

5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile¹, go with him two².

5:42  Give to him that asketh thee¹, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away².

5:43  Ye have heard that it was said¹, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:

5:44  but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you¹;

"Prayer is that which we always have in our power to bestow, and they never in theirs to refuse."

5:45  that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven¹: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good², and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

5:46  For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye¹? do not even the publicans² the same?

"Christianity is more than humanity."

5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others?] do not even the Gentiles the same?

5:48  Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect¹.