The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes

¹ Now when he¹ saw the crowds, he went up the mountain and after he² sat down, his disciples approached him.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
2. *Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“sat down”) which is understood as temporal

² And opening his mouth he began to teach them, saying,

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Blessed are the ones who mourn, because they will be comforted.

⁵ Blessed are the meek, because they will inherit the earth.

⁶ Blessed are the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be satisfied.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me.

¹² Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

The Sermon on the Mount: Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, by what will it be made salty? It is good for nothing any longer except to be thrown outside and¹ trampled under foot by people.

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“thrown”) has been translated as a finite verb

¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city located on top of a hill cannot be hidden,

¹⁵ nor do they light a lamp and place it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house.

¹⁶ In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

The Sermon on the Mount: The Law and the Prophets Fulfilled

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them.

¹⁸ For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place.

¹⁹ Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

²⁰ For I say to you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The Sermon on the Mount: Anger Toward Others

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the ⌞people of old⌟,¹ ‘Do not commit murder,’² and ‘whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.’

1. Literally “ancients”
2. A quotation from Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17

²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry at his brother will be subject to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Stupid fool!’¹ will be subject to the council, and whoever says, ‘Obstinate fool!’² will be subject to fiery hell.

1. Greek “Raca,” a term of verbal abuse involving lack of intelligence
2. Perhaps with the idea of obstinate, godless foolishness; some take the word to be a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word for “rebel” (Deut 21:18, 20)

²³ Therefore if you present your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and first go be reconciled to your brother, and then come and¹ present your gift.

1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“come”) has been translated as a finite verb

²⁵ ⌞Settle the case quickly with your accuser⌟¹ while you are with him on the way, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

1. Literally “be making friends quickly with your accuser”

²⁶ Truly I say to you, you will never come out of there until you have paid back the last penny!

The Sermon on the Mount: Adultery and Lust

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’¹

1. A quotation from Exod 20:14; Deut 5:17

²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

²⁹ And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell.

³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell.

The Sermon on the Mount: Divorce

³¹ “And it was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’¹

1. A quotation from Deut 24:1

³² But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for a matter of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

The Sermon on the Mount: Taking Oaths

³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to the ⌞people of old⌟,¹ ‘Do not swear falsely,² but fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’³

1. Literally “ancients”
2. Or “do not break your oath”
3. A quotation from Lev 19:12

³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, because it is the throne of God,

³⁵ or by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king.

³⁶ And do not swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.

³⁷ But let your statement be ‘Yes, yes; no, no,’ and anything beyond these is from the evil one.¹

1. Or “is of evil”

The Sermon on the Mount: Retaliation

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’¹

1. A quotation from Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20

³⁹ But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer, but whoever strikes you on the right cheek,¹ turn the other to him also.

1. Some manuscripts have “your right cheek”

⁴⁰ And the one who wants to go to court with you and take your tunic, ⌞let him have⌟¹ your outer garment also.

1. Literally “leave to him”

⁴¹ And whoever forces you to go one mile,¹ go with him two.

1. A Roman mile was originally a thousand paces, but was later fixed at eight stades (1,478.5 meters)

⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

The Sermon on the Mount: Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’¹ and ‘Hate your enemy.’²

1. A quotation from Lev 19:18
2. An allusion to Deut 23:3–6

⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

⁴⁵ in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, because he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust.

⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not the tax collectors also do the same?

⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not the Gentiles also do the same?

⁴⁸ Therefore you be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.