1 And having seen the multitudes, he went up to the mount, and he having sat down, his disciples came to him, 2 and having opened his mouth, he was teaching them, saying: 3 'Happy the poor in spirit — because theirs is the reign of the heavens. 4 'Happy the mourning — because they shall be comforted. 5 'Happy the meek — because they shall inherit the land. 6 'Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness — because they shall be filled. 7 'Happy the kind — because they shall find kindness. 8 'Happy the clean in heart — because they shall see God. 9 'Happy the peacemakers — because they shall be called Sons of God. 10 'Happy those persecuted for righteousness' sake — because theirs is the reign of the heavens. 11 'Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake — 12 rejoice ye and be glad, because your reward [is] great in the heavens, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you. 13 'Ye are the salt of the land, but if the salt may lose savour, in what shall it be salted? for nothing is it good henceforth, except to be cast without, and to be trodden down by men. 14 'Ye are the light of the world, a city set upon a mount is not able to be hid; 15 nor do they light a lamp, and put it under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, and it shineth to all those in the house; 16 so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who [is] in the heavens. 17 'Do not suppose that I came to throw down the law or the prophets — I did not come to throw down, but to fulfil; 18 for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass. 19 'Whoever therefore may loose one of these commands — the least — and may teach men so, least he shall be called in the reign of the heavens, but whoever may do and may teach [them], he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens. 20 'For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens. 21 'Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill, and whoever may kill shall be in danger of the judgment; 22 but I — I say to you, that every one who is angry at his brother without cause, shall be in danger of the judgment, and whoever may say to his brother, Empty fellow! shall be in danger of the sanhedrim, and whoever may say, Rebel! shall be in danger of the gehenna of the fire. 23 'If, therefore, thou mayest bring thy gift to the altar, and there mayest remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, 24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go — first be reconciled to thy brother, and then having come bring thy gift. 25 'Be agreeing with thy opponent quickly, while thou art in the way with him, that the opponent may not deliver thee to the judge, and the judge may deliver thee to the officer, and to prison thou mayest be cast, 26 verily I say to thee, thou mayest not come forth thence till that thou mayest pay the last farthing. 27 'Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not commit adultery; 28 but I — I say to you, that every one who is looking on a woman to desire her, did already commit adultery with her in his heart. 29 'But, if thy right eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee, for it is good to thee that one of thy members may perish, and not thy whole body be cast to gehenna. 30 'And, if thy right hand doth cause thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast from thee, for it is good to thee that one of thy members may perish, and not thy whole body be cast to gehenna. 31 'And it was said, That whoever may put away his wife, let him give to her a writing of divorce; 32 but I — I say to you, that whoever may put away his wife, save for the matter of whoredom, doth make her to commit adultery; and whoever may marry her who hath been put away doth commit adultery. 33 'Again, ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not swear falsely, but thou shalt pay to the Lord thine oaths; 34 but I — I say to you, not to swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is the throne of God, 35 nor by the earth, because it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is a city of a great king, 36 nor by thy head mayest thou swear, because thou art not able one hair to make white or black; 37 but let your word be, Yes, Yes, No, No, and that which is more than these is of the evil. 38 'Ye heard that it was said: Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth; 39 but I — I say to you, not to resist the evil, but whoever shall slap thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other; 40 and whoever is willing to take thee to law, and thy coat to take — suffer to him also the cloak. 41 'And whoever shall impress thee one mile, go with him two, 42 to him who is asking of thee be giving, and him who is willing to borrow from thee thou mayest not turn away. 43 'Ye heard that it was said: Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and shalt hate thine enemy; 44 but I — I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you, 45 that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous. 46 'For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same? 47 and if ye may salute your brethren only, what do ye abundant? do not also the tax-gatherers so? 48 ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who [is] in the heavens is perfect.
Matthew · Young's Literal Translation
Matthew 5 Young's Literal Translation
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."