New Living Translation

New King James Version

The Sermon on the Mount

One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him,

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The Beatitudes

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.

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and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes

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Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

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“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,a
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

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

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God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

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Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.

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God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.

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Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the [a]earth.

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God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,b
for they will be satisfied.

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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.

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God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

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Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.

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God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.

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Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.

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God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.

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Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.

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God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

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Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

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Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

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Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

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Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

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Teaching about Salt and Light

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

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Believers Are Salt and Light

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

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“You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.

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“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

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No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.

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Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

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In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

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Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

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Teaching about the Law

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

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Christ Fulfills the Law

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

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I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.

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For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one [b]jot or one [c]tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

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So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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“But I warn you — unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

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For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

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Teaching about Anger

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’c

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Murder Begins in the Heart

“You have heard that it was said to those [d]of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’

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But I say, if you are even angry with someone,d you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot,e you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone,f you are in danger of the fires of hell.g

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But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother [e]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’[f] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, [g]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of [h]hell fire.

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“So if you are presenting a sacrificeh at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,

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Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

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leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

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leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

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“When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison.

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Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

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And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.i

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Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

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Teaching about Adultery

“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’j

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Adultery in the Heart

“You have heard that it was said [i]to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

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But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

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

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So if your eye — even your good eyek — causes you to lust, 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.

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If your right eye causes you to [j]sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

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And if your hand — even your stronger handl — 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 thrown into hell.

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And if your right hand causes you to [k]sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

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Teaching about Divorce

“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’m

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Marriage Is Sacred and Binding

“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

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But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.

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But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except [l]sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

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Teaching about Vows

“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’n

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Jesus Forbids Oaths

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of [m]old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’

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But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne.

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But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

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And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King.

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nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

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Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black.

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Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

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Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

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But let [n]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

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Teaching about Revenge

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’o

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Go the Second Mile

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

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But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

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But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

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If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.

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If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.

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If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,p carry it two miles.

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And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

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Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

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Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

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Teaching about Love for Enemies

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’q and hate your enemy.

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Love Your Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

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But I say, love your enemies!r Pray for those who persecute you!

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[o]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

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In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

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that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

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If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.

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

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If you are kind only to your friends,s how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.

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And if you greet your [p]brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the [q]tax collectors do so?

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But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

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Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

Matthew 5

Matthew 5