Matthew 5:1-26

The Sermon on the Mount

1 Seeing the crowds, ¹he went up on the mountain, and when he ²sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

2 And ³he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 ⁴"Blessed are ⁵the poor in spirit, for ⁶theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 "Blessed are ⁷those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 "Blessed are the ⁸meek, for they ⁹shall inherit the earth.

6 "Blessed are those who hunger and ¹⁰thirst ¹¹for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 "Blessed are ¹²the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 "Blessed are ¹³the pure in heart, for ¹⁴they shall see God.

9 "Blessed are ¹⁵the peacemakers, for ¹⁶they shall be called ¹⁷sons^[a] of God.

10 ¹⁸"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for ¹⁹theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 ²⁰"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely ²¹on my account.

12 ²²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for ²³so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

13 "You are the salt of the earth, ²⁴but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

14 ²⁵"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 ²⁶Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so ²⁷that they may see your good works and ²⁸give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

17 ²⁹"Do not think that I have come to abolish ³⁰the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but ³¹to fulfill them.

18 For truly, I say to you, ³²until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

19 ³³Therefore whoever relaxes ³⁴one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least ³⁵in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great ³⁶in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds ³⁷that of the scribes and Pharisees, you ³⁸will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

21 ³⁹"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ⁴⁰'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable ⁴¹to judgment.'

22 But I say to you that ⁴²everyone who is angry with his brother^[b] will be liable ⁴³to judgment; whoever insults^[c] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to ⁴⁴the hell^[d] of fire.

23 ⁴⁵So if ⁴⁶you 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 ⁴⁷Come 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, ⁴⁸you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.^[e]

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 15:29
• 2. Luke 4:20
• 3. Psalms 78:2
• 4. For ver. 3-12, [Luke 6:20-23]
• 5. [Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 66:2]
• 6. [Luke 12:32]
• 7. Isaiah 61:2, 3; John 16:20; 2 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Revelation 21:4; [James 4:9, 10]
• 8. Psalms 37:11
• 9. Psalms 37:11
• 10. Psalms 42:2; Isaiah 55:1, 2; John 7:37
• 11. 2 Timothy 2:22; [Matthew 6:33]
• 12. Matthew 18:33; Matthew 25:34-36; Proverbs 19:17; Luke 6:36; 2 Timothy 1:16; Hebrews 6:10
• 13. Psalms 24:4; 2 Timothy 2:22; [1 Peter 1:22]
• 14. Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 3:2, 3; Revelation 22:4; [1 Corinthians 13:12]
• 15. James 3:18
• 16. 1 John 3:1
• 17. Romans 8:14
• 18. 2 Timothy 2:12; James 5:11; 1 Peter 3:14
• 19. [See ver. 3 above]
• 20. Hebrews 11:26; 1 Peter 4:14
• 21. John 15:21
• 22. Acts 5:41; Romans 5:3; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Colossians 1:11, 24; Hebrews 10:34; James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:13
• 23. See Matthew 21:35
• 24. Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34
• 25. Ephesians 5:8; Philippians 2:15; [John 8:12]
• 26. Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; Luke 11:33
• 27. Philemon 6; 1 Peter 2:12
• 28. John 15:8; 2 Corinthians 9:13; Philippians 1:11; [Matthew 9:8]
• 29. Romans 3:31
• 30. Matthew 7:12
• 31. [Romans 10:4; Romans 13:8; Galatians 3:24]
• 32. Luke 16:17; [Matthew 24:35]
• 33. [1 Corinthians 3:12-15]
• 34. [Galatians 3:10; James 2:10]
• 35. Matthew 11:11; Matthew 18:1-4
• 36. Matthew 11:11; Matthew 18:1-4
• 37. [Romans 10:3; Philippians 3:9]
• 38. John 3:5
• 39. ver. 33; [ver. 27, 31, 38, 43]
• 40. Cited from Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17; [Matthew 19:18; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20; Romans 13:9; James 2:11]
• 41. [Deuteronomy 16:18]
• 42. 1 John 3:15
• 43. [See ver. 21 above]
• 44. Matthew 18:9; Mark 9:43; James 3:6; [ver. 29]
• 45. [Matthew 6:15; Mark 11:25]
• 46. Matthew 8:4; Matthew 23:18
• 47. Luke 12:58, 59
• 48. [Matthew 18:34, 35]

Footnotes

• [a]. Greek huioi; see preface
• [b]. Some manuscripts insert without cause
• [c]. Greek says Raca to (a term of abuse)
• [d]. Greek Gehenna; also verses 29, 30
• [e]. Greek kodrantes, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)