1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him, 2 and He began to teach them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say every evil thing against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. 13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 17 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. 18 For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother without cause will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell. 23 So if you 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. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. 25 Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 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. 30 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 be cast into hell. 31 It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34 But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one. 38 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45 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 unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your friends, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew · Majority Standard Bible
Matthew 5 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Cross references (48)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Mark 3:13; Matthew 15:29; John 6:2–3; Mark 4:1; Mark 3:20
- 2 Acts 8:35; Luke 6:20–26; Acts 10:34; Matthew 13:35; Acts 18:14
- 3 Isaiah 66:2; Proverbs 29:23; Psalm 34:18; Proverbs 16:19; Luke 18:14
- 4 Revelation 21:4; 2 Corinthians 7:9–10; Isaiah 61:2–3; John 16:20–22; Psalm 126:5–6
- 5 Psalm 37:11; Isaiah 29:19; James 3:13; Psalm 149:4; Galatians 5:23
- 6 Psalm 107:9; John 4:14; John 6:27; John 6:48–58; Psalm 145:19
- 7 Ephesians 4:32–5:1; Matthew 6:14–15; 2 Samuel 22:26; Matthew 18:33–35; Psalm 18:25
- 8 Psalm 24:4; Psalm 51:10; Hebrews 10:22; Hebrews 12:14; Ezekiel 36:25–27
- 9 Hebrews 12:14; James 3:16–18; Romans 12:18; Galatians 5:22; Psalm 120:6
- 10 James 1:12; 1 Peter 3:13–14; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Matthew 5:3; James 1:2–5
- 11 1 Peter 4:14; Luke 21:17; Mark 13:13; Matthew 24:9; Luke 6:22
- 12 Luke 6:23; James 1:2; Colossians 3:24; 1 Peter 4:13; Colossians 1:24
- 13 Colossians 4:6; Luke 14:34–35; Mark 9:49–50; Leviticus 2:13; Hebrews 6:4–6
- 14 Philippians 2:15; John 8:12; Ephesians 5:8–14; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; Proverbs 4:18
- 15 Luke 11:33; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; Numbers 8:2; Exodus 25:37
- 16 1 Peter 2:12; Titus 2:7; John 15:8; 1 John 1:5–7; Philippians 2:15–16
- 17 Romans 10:4; Luke 16:17; Galatians 4:4–5; Romans 3:31; Romans 8:4
- 18 Luke 16:17; Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25; Psalm 119:89–90; Matthew 24:34–35
- 19 Deuteronomy 12:32; James 2:10–11; Matthew 28:20; Romans 13:8–10; Matthew 11:11
- 20 Romans 10:2–3; Philippians 3:9; Romans 9:30–32; Luke 16:14–15; Matthew 23:2–5
- 21 Deuteronomy 5:17; Exodus 20:13; Numbers 35:30–34; Exodus 21:12–14; Numbers 35:16–21
- 22 1 John 3:14–15; 1 John 4:20–21; 1 John 2:9; Ephesians 4:26–27; Ephesians 4:31–32
- 23 Mark 11:25; Leviticus 6:2–6; Matthew 5:24; Matthew 23:19; Matthew 8:4
- 24 James 5:16; Romans 12:17–18; Matthew 18:15–17; Job 42:8; 1 Peter 3:7–8
- 25 Luke 12:58–59; Proverbs 25:8; Luke 14:31–32; Hebrews 3:13; Isaiah 55:6–7
- 26 Matthew 18:34; Luke 12:59; James 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Luke 16:26
- 27 Deuteronomy 5:18; Proverbs 6:32; Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22–24
- 28 James 1:14–15; 1 John 2:16; Proverbs 6:25; Exodus 20:17; 2 Samuel 11:2
- 29 Mark 9:43–48; Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5; Romans 6:6; 1 Peter 4:1–3
- 30 Mark 9:43; Matthew 5:29; 1 Peter 2:8; Romans 14:20–21; Matthew 18:6–7
- 31 Jeremiah 3:1; Deuteronomy 24:1–4; Matthew 19:7; Mark 10:2–9; Matthew 19:3
- 32 Romans 7:3; Luke 16:18; 1 Corinthians 7:10–11; 1 Corinthians 7:4; Matthew 19:8–9
- 33 Deuteronomy 23:21; Leviticus 19:12; Ecclesiastes 5:4–6; Deuteronomy 23:23; Psalm 76:11
- 34 James 5:12; Isaiah 66:1; Deuteronomy 23:21–23; Matthew 23:16–22; Ecclesiastes 9:2
- 35 Psalm 48:2; Malachi 1:14; Revelation 21:10; 2 Chronicles 6:6; Psalm 99:5
- 36 Luke 12:25; Matthew 6:27; Matthew 23:16–21
- 37 James 5:12; Colossians 4:6; Colossians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 1:17–20; John 8:44
- 38 Leviticus 24:19–20; Deuteronomy 19:21; Exodus 21:22–27; Deuteronomy 19:19
- 39 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9; Romans 12:17–19; Proverbs 20:22; Luke 6:29–30
- 40 Luke 6:29; 1 Corinthians 6:7
- 41 Luke 23:26
- 42 Proverbs 19:17; Hebrews 13:16; Luke 6:30–36; 1 Timothy 6:17–19; Psalm 112:5–9
- 43 Leviticus 19:18; Psalm 139:21–22; Galatians 5:13–14; Matthew 19:19; Romans 13:8–10
- 44 Romans 12:14; 1 Peter 3:9; Luke 6:27–28; Romans 12:20–21; Proverbs 25:21–22
- 45 Psalm 145:9; Luke 6:35; Acts 14:17; Job 25:3; Ephesians 5:1
- 46 Luke 6:32–35; 1 Peter 2:20–23; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 9:10–11; Matthew 18:17
- 47 Luke 6:32; Matthew 5:20; 1 Peter 2:20; Luke 10:4–5
- 48 1 Peter 1:15–16; James 1:4; Leviticus 19:2; Ephesians 5:1–2; Luke 6:36
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
It is wont to perplex many persons, Dearly beloved, that our Lord Jesus Christ in His Evangelical Sermon, after He had first said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven;" said afterwards, "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men to be seen …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
See how unambitious He was, and void of boasting: in that He did not lead people about with Him, but whereas, when healing was required, He had Himself gone about everywhere, visiting both towns and country places; now when the multitude is become very great, He sits in one spot: and that not in the midst of any city or …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;" and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God." Chapter III — Expressions of personal unworthiness These things, brethren, I write to you concerning …
… eye offend thee, cut it out; for it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of heaven with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into everlasting fire." And, "Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced from another husband, committeth adultery." And, "There are some who have been made eunuchs of men, and some who were …
… like manner, they assert that the ten Æons are pointed out by the letter Iota, which begins His name; while, for the same reason, they tell us the Saviour said, "One Iota, or one tittle, shall by no means pass away until all be fulfilled."