21Ye have heard that it was said to the men of antient times, “Thou shalt do no murder;” and whosoever shall commit murder, shall be liable to the judgment: 22but I say unto you, That every man who is angry with his brother without cause, shall be liable to the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the sanhedrim: but whosever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to be cast into hell fire. 23If therefore thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24leave there thy gift before the altar, and go: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25Be disposed to agree with thy prosecutor speedily, whilst thou art in the way with him to the bar; lest the prosecutor deliver thee up to the judge, and the judge commit thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out from thence, till thou hast paid the last farthing.
27Ye have heard that it was said to those of old, “Thou shalt not commit adultery:” 28but I say unto you, That every one who looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If then thine eye, the right, leads thee to offend, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is highly for thy advantage, that one of thy members be destroyed, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30And if thy right hand leads thee to offend, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is highly thy interest that one of thy members should be destroyed, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
31It hath been said indeed, That whosoever will put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce: 32But I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except on account of whoredom, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
33Again ye have heard that it was said to those of old, “Thou shalt not perjure thyself, but shalt perform to the Lord thine oaths:” 34But I say to thee, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven; for it is the throne of God: 35nor by the earth; for it is the footstool of his feet: nor by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King: 36neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37But let your discourse be, Yea, yea; No, no: for all addition to these is from the wicked one.
38Ye have heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth:” 39but I say unto you, Resist not an injurious act; but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him also the other. 40And if a man will prosecute thee, and take thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41And whosoever shall press thee for one mile, go with him two. 42Give to him that asketh thee; and from him who wants to borrow of thee, turn not away.
43Ye have heard that it hath been said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.” 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who treat you insolently, and persecute you; 45that ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven: for he causeth his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and tendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if ye love those who love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same thing? 47And if ye embrace your brethren only, what do ye extraordinary? do not even the publicans so? 48Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
[CHAP. VI.]
TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before men, in order to catch their eye: for otherwise ye have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2Therefore when thou givest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Verily I say unto you, They receive their reward. 3But when thou givest alms, let not thy right hand know what thy left is doing: 4that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will himself reward thee openly.
5And when thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites: for they love standing in the synagogues and at the corners of the streets, to pray, that they may make a shew to men. Verily I say unto you, That they have their reward. 6But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut thy door, to pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7And when thou art at prayer, use not vain repetitions, like the heathen: for they imagine that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Be not ye therefore like them: for your Father knoweth of what things ye have need, before you ask him. 9Thus then pray ye: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen! 14For if ye forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15but if ye forgive not to men their offences, neither will your Father forgive your offences.
16And when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, affecting a gloomy look: for they disfigure their visages, that they may make a shew of fasting to men. Verily I say unto you, That they have their reward. 17But when thou keepest a fast, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18that thou mayest not make a shew of fasting to men, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.