THE GOSPEL ACCORDNG TO MATTHEW
Chapter 5: When Yeshua (Jesus) saw the
crowds, He went up on a mountain and sat down, and His disciples came to Him.
Then He talked to them and taught them thus:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the
kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be
comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are
those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they will see Elohei (God). Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called the sons of Elohei. Blessed are those who endure persecution on
account of doing right, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are you
when men scoff at you and persecute you, and keep on telling lies about you on
My account. Be glad! Rejoice greatly, for your reward in heaven will also be
great. It was this way, too, when they persecuted the prophets in days gone by.”
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt
becomes tasteless, how can it become salty again? Then it is good for nothing
but to be thrown away and trampled under foot.”
“You are the light of the world. A city on a
mountain cannot be hidden. Men do not light a lamp and put it under a bushel
basket, but on a table, and then it gives light to everyone in the house. Just
so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and
praise your Heavenly Father.”
“You must not think that I have come to do
away with Torah (The Law) or the prophets. I have come not to abolish, but to
fulfill. And I tell you for a fact that until heaven and earth shall be no more,
not the smallest letter – nor even a part of a letter, shall be dropped from
Torah until it is all fulfilled. So, if anyone breaks one of the least of its
commands and teaches others to do likewise, he will be called least in the
kingdom of heaven; but anyone who obeys Torah and teaches others to do so will
be called great in the kingdom of heaven. And I say that unless you are far
more upright than the scribes and Pharisees, you will not get into the kingdom of
heaven at all.”
“You have heard that it was said to the men
of old, ‘you shall not murder’. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with
his brother shall have to answer in court, and whosoever speaks to his brother
in words of contempt shall have to answer in the highest court: and whosoever
shall call him a fool shall be liable to the fires of hell. If, when you are
about to offer your gift at the altar, you then remember that your brother has
something against you – stop! Leave your gift there before the altar; then go
and first make peace with your brother, after which you may come back and
present your gift.”
“When you are on the way to court with an opponent
at law, hasten to come to terms with him, lest he shall turn you over to the
judge and the judge turn you over to the officer, and you land in jail. I tell
you truly that you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
“You have heard it said to the men of old, ‘You
shall not commit adultery’. But I say to you that anyone who looks at a woman with
lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So, if your right
eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; for it is
better for you to lose one member of your body than to have your whole body
cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw
it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one member of your body than
to have your whole body cast into hell.”
“It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his
wife must give her a letter of divorce.’ But I say to you that whosoever
divorces his wife for any reason other than adultery
causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries the woman who has been
divorced, commits adultery.”
“Again,
you have heard it said to the men of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but you
shall fulfill your sacred promises as before Adonai (the Lord). But I tell you,
don’t swear at all, either by heaven – for it is Elohei’s throne, nor by the
earth – for it is His footstool. Nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the
great King. Nor swear by your own head, for you cannot make a single hair
either white or black. When you speak, let it be enough to say plainly, ‘Yes’
or ‘No’. Anything beyond that is evil.”
“You have heard it said, ‘An eye for an eye,
and a tooth for a tooth’. But I tell you not to get into a fight with anyone
who injures you. Rather, if one hits you on your right cheek, turn to him the
other also. If someone wants to sue you to get your coat, give him also your
overcoat. And if anyone should compel you to go one mile, go two miles with
him. Give to him who begs from you, and don’t turn away from him who wants to
borrow from you.”
“You have heard it was said, ‘You must love
your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say that you must love your enemies
and pray for your persecutors. In that way you will be sons of your heavenly
Father, for He makes His sun rise on both bad and good people, and makes the
rain fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. For if you love only
those who love you, what will you gain by that? Don’t even the tax collectors
do as much? And if you greet no one except your own people, does that give you
any special distinction? Don’t the heathen do the same? You must become
spiritually mature, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
