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Matthew 5

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1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him:

2and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,

3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.

10Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.

13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.

14Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

15Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.

16Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

17Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil.

18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.

19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

22but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.

23If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,

24leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

34but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;

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

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

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

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

39but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

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

41And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.

42Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

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

44but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;

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

46For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

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

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

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Parallel translations · Matthew 5:1

WEB · World English Bible (2000)

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him:

KJV · King James Version (1611)

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

ASV · American Standard Version (1901)

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him:

BBE · Bible in Basic English (1949)

And seeing great masses of people he went up into the mountain; and when he was seated his disciples came to him.

YLT · Young's Literal Translation (1862)

And having seen the multitudes, he went up to the mount, and he having sat down, his disciples came to him,

DRA · Douay-Rheims (Challoner) (1752)

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.

DBY · Darby Bible (1890)

But seeing the crowds, he went up into the mountain, and having sat down, his disciples came to him;

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Commentary · Matthew 5

The Beatitudes

Jesus opens his Sermon on the Mount with eight pronouncements that turn the world's value system upside down. Blessing belongs not to the proud and self-sufficient but to the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. In a few sentences he sketches the character of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and then calls them salt of the earth and light of the world.

Themes

  • Kingdom ethics
  • Inner righteousness
  • True blessedness
  • Light and salt

Application

Christ's kingdom does not begin where worldly success begins. It begins in the heart that knows it is poor before God.

Key cross-references

From the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — verses that illuminate Matthew 5:1.

  • Matthew 4:25

    And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judæa and from beyond the Jordan.

  • Matthew 13:2

    And there were gathered unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.

  • Mark 4:1

    And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.

  • Luke 6:13

    And when it was day, he called his disciples; and he chose from them twelve, whom also he named apostles:

  • Matthew 10:2

    Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James thesonof Zebedee, and John his brother;

  • John 6:2

    And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick.

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Matthew 6

"Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven."