Matthew

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

1Jesus saw the crowds of people. So he went up on a mountain and sat down. His followers came to him.

2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

2He began to teach them. This is what he said.

3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

3"God blesses people who are poor in spirit. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

4God blesses people who are sad and grieving. They will be comforted.

5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

5God blesses people who are gentle and humble. The earth will belong to them.

6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

6God blesses people who hunger and thirst to do what is right. They will be filled.

7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

7God blesses people who show mercy to others. Mercy will be shown to them.

8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

8God blesses people whose hearts are clean. They will see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

9God blesses people who make peace. They will be called God's children.

10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

10God blesses people who are hurt and hunted because they do what is right. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

11God blesses you when people insult you, chase you down, and tell all kinds of lies about you because of me.

12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

12Be happy. Be very glad. A great reward is waiting for you in heaven. People treated God's messengers, the prophets, the same way long before you.

13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

13You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its salty taste, how can it be made salty again? It is good for nothing then. It gets thrown out and walked on.

14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

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

15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

15People do not light a lamp and then put it under a basket. They set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

16In the same way, let your light shine in front of others. Then they will see the good you do and praise your Father in heaven.

17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

17Do not think I have come to tear down the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. I have not come to tear them down. I have come to fulfill them.

18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

18I tell you the truth. Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest pen mark will disappear from the Law. It all stands until everything is done.

NoteThe King James Version says "jot" and "tittle." A jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. A tittle is a tiny pen stroke that tells one letter apart from another.

19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

19So whoever breaks even the smallest of these commands, and teaches others to break it, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

20I tell you this. Unless you do what is right better than the scribes and Pharisees do, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

21Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

21You have heard that people long ago were told, 'Do not murder,' and, 'Anyone who murders must answer to the court.'

22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

22But I tell you this. Anyone who is angry with his brother without good reason must answer to the court. Anyone who calls his brother 'Raca' must answer to the high council. And anyone who says, 'You fool,' is in danger of the fire of hell.

Note"Raca" is a word from Aramaic, the everyday language Jesus spoke. It was an insult, close to "empty head" or "worthless."

23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

23So if you are bringing your gift to the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you,

24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

24leave your gift right there in front of the altar. Go and make things right with your brother first. Then come back and offer your gift.

25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

25If someone is taking you to court, settle with him quickly while you are still on the way. If you do not, he may hand you over to the judge. The judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

26I tell you the truth. You will not get out of there until you have paid the very last coin you owe.

NoteThe King James Version says "the uttermost farthing." A farthing was the smallest coin people carried, so this means the very last bit of the debt.

27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

27You have heard that people were told, 'Do not commit adultery.'

28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

28But I tell you this. Anyone who looks at a woman and wants her that way has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

29If your right eye makes you sin, pull it out and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30And if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body go into hell.

31It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:

31It has also been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written paper of divorce.'

32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

32But I tell you this. Anyone who divorces his wife, except because she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

33Again, you have heard that people long ago were told, 'Do not break your promise. Keep the promises you made to the Lord.'

34But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:

34But I tell you this. Do not swear an oath at all. Do not swear by heaven, because heaven is God's throne.

35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

35Do not swear by the earth, because the earth is where he rests his feet. Do not swear by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.

36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

36Do not swear by your own head, because you cannot make one hair on it white or black.

37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

37Just say yes when you mean yes, and no when you mean no. Anything more than that comes from the evil one.

38Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

38You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'

39But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

39But I tell you this. Do not fight back against someone who is evil to you. If someone hits you on the right cheek, turn and let him hit the other one too.

40And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

40And if someone takes you to court to get your shirt, let him have your coat as well.

NoteIn the King James wording, "coat" is the shirt worn next to the skin and "cloak" is the heavier outer robe. So the item given away second is the more valuable one.

41And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

41And if someone forces you to walk one mile with him, walk two.

42Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

42Give to the person who asks you. Do not turn away from the person who wants to borrow from you.

43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

43You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

44But I tell you this. Love your enemies. Say good things about those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who treat you badly and hunt you down.

45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

45Then you will be children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on bad people and on good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who do wrong.

46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

46If you only love the people who love you, what reward is that? Even tax collectors do that much.

47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

47And if you only greet your own brothers, what more are you doing than anyone else? Even tax collectors do that.

48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

48So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."