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New
American Standard Bible: Matthew
Sermon
On
The
Mount
When Jesus
saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and
after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
He opened
His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be
comforted.
"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the
earth.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive
mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be
called sons of God.
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the
sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
"Blessed are you when people insult you and
persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of Me.
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is
great; for in the same way they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.
"You are
the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become
tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no
longer good for anything, except to be thrown out
and trampled under foot by men.
"You are
the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot
be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it
under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives
light to all who are in the house.
"Let your
light shine before men in such a way that they may
see your good works, and glorify your Father who is
in heaven.
"Do not
think that I came to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
"For truly
I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not
the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the
Law until all is accomplished.
"Whoever
then annuls one of the least of these commandments,
and teaches others to do the same, shall be called
least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps
and teaches them, he shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven.
"For I say
to you that unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not
enter the kingdom of heaven.
"You have
heard that the ancients were told, "YOU SHALL NOT
COMMIT MURDER" and "Whoever commits murder shall be
liable to the court."
"But I say
to you that everyone who is angry with his brother
shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says
to his brother, " You good-for-nothing,' shall be
guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says,
"You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the
fiery hell.
"Therefore
if you are presenting your offering at the altar,
and there remember that your brother has something
against you, leave your offering there before the
altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and present your offering.
"Make
friends quickly with your opponent at law while you
are with him on the way, so that your opponent may
not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to
the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
"Truly I
say to you, you will not come out of there until
you have paid up the last cent.
"You have
heard that it was said, " YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT
ADULTERY; but I say to you that everyone who looks
at a woman with lust for her has already committed
adultery with her in his heart.
"If your
right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw
it from you; for it is better for you to lose one
of the parts of your body, than for your whole body
to be thrown into hell.
"If your
right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw
it from you; for it is better for you to lose one
of the parts of your body, than for your whole body
to go into hell.
"It was
said, " WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE
HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE';
but I say
to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except
for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit
adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman
commits adultery.
"Again, you
have heard that the ancients were told, " YOU SHALL
NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO
THE LORD.'
"But I say
to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for
it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is
the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it
is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING.
"Nor shall
you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make
one hair white or black.
"But let
your statement be, "Yes, yes' or "No, no'; anything
beyond these is of evil.
"You have
heard that it was said, " AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A
TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.'
"But I say
to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever
slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to
him also.
"If anyone
wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have
your coat also.
"Whoever
forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
"Give to
him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him
who wants to borrow from you.
"You have
heard that it was said, " YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR
NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.'
"But I say
to you, love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you, so that you may be sons of your
Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to
rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on
the righteous and the unrighteous.
"For if you
love those who love you, what reward do you have?
Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
"If you
greet only your brothers, what more are you doing
than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
"Therefore
you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is
perfect.
"Beware of
practicing your righteousness before men to be
noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with
your Father who is in heaven.
"So when
you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before
you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in
the streets, so that they may be honored by men.
Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
"But when
you give to the poor, do not let your left hand
know what your right hand is doing, so that your
giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees
what is done in secret will reward you.
"When you
pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for
they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and
on the street corners so that they may be seen by
men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in
full.
"But you,
when you pray, go into your inner room, close your
door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and
your Father who sees what is done in secret will
reward you.
"And when
you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition
as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will
be heard for their many words.
"So do not
be like them; for your Father knows what you need
before you ask Him.
"Pray,
then, in this way: "Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
"Your
kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is
in heaven.
"Give us
this day our daily bread.
"And
forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our
debtors.
"And do not
lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the
glory forever. Amen.'
"For if you
forgive others for their transgressions, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you.
"But if you
do not forgive others, then your Father will not
forgive your transgressions.
"Whenever
you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the
hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so
that they will be noticed by men when they are
fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward
in full.
"But you,
when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face
so that your fasting will not be noticed by men,
but by your Father who is in secret; and your
Father who sees what is done in secret will reward
you.
"Do not
store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where
moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in
and steal.
"But store
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves
do not break in or steal; for where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also.
"The eye is
the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear,
your whole body will be full of light.
"But if
your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of
darkness. If then the light that is in you is
darkness, how great is the darkness!
"No one can
serve two masters; for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to one
and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
wealth.
"For this
reason I say to you, do not be worried about your
life, as to what you will eat or what you will
drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put
on. Is not life more than food, and the body more
than clothing?
"Look at
the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor
reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than
they?
"And who of
you by being worried can add a single hour to his
life?
"And why
are you worried about clothing? Observe how the
lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do
they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon
in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
"But if God
so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive
today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will
He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
"Do not
worry then, saying, "What will we eat?' or "What
will we drink?' or "What will we wear for
clothing?'
"For the
Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these
things.
"But seek
first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all
these things will be added to you.
"So do not
worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for
itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew
"Do not
judge so that you will not be judged.
"For in the
way you judge, you will be judged; and by your
standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
"Why do you
look at the speck that is in your brother's eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
"Or how can
you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out
of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own
eye?
"You
hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out
of your brother's eye.
"Do not
give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your
pearls before swine, or they will trample them
under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
"Ask, and
it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
"For
everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks it will be opened.
"Or what
man is there among you who, when his son asks for a
loaf, will give him a stone?
"Or if he
asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will
he?
"If you
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who
is in heaven give what is good to those who ask
Him!
"In
everything, therefore, treat people the same way
you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and
the Prophets.
"Enter
through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and
the way is broad that leads to destruction, and
there are many who enter through it.
"For the
gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to
life, and there are few who find it.
"Beware of
the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
"You will
know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered
from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
"So every
good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears
bad fruit.
"A good
tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree
produce good fruit.
"Every tree
that does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire.
"So then,
you will know them by their fruits.
"Not
everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of
My Father who is in heaven will enter.
"Many will
say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out
demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
"And then I
will declare to them, "I never knew you; DEPART
FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
"Therefore
everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on
them, may be compared to a wise man who built his
house on the rock.
"And the
rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew
and slammed against that house; and yet it did not
fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
"Everyone
who hears these words of Mine and does not act on
them, will be like a foolish man who built his
house on the sand.
"The rain
fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and
slammed against that house; and it felland great
was its fall."
When Jesus
had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at
His teaching; for He was teaching them as one
having authority, and not as their scribes.
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