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¹ And seeing the multitudes, he ascended a mountain: and when he was seated, his disciples came to him.² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

³ Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.⁴ Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.⁵ Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.⁶ Blessed [are] they who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled.⁷ Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.⁸ Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.⁹ Blessed [are] the peace-makers: for they shall be called children of God.¹⁰ Blessed [are] they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.¹¹ Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

¹³ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt hath lost its savor, with what shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot by men.¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a close vessel, but on a candlestick: and it giveth light to all that are in the house.¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

¹⁷ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.¹⁸ For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.¹⁹ Whoever 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 whoever shall do, and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.²⁰ For I say to 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.

²¹ Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment:²² But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.²³ Therefore if thou shalt bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee;²⁴ Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.²⁵ Agree with thy adversary quickly, while 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.²⁶ Verily, I say to thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

²⁷ Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:²⁸ But I say to you, That whoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.²⁹ And if thy right eye shall cause thee to sin, 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.³⁰ And if thy right hand shall cause thee to sin, 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.³¹ It hath been said, Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:³² But I say to you, That whoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of lewdness, causeth her to commit adultery: and whoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery.

³³ Again, ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform to the Lord thy oaths:³⁴ But I say to you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:³⁵ Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King,³⁶ Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.³⁷ But let your communication be, Yea, yea, Nay, nay: for whatever [is] more than these cometh of evil.

³⁸ Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.³⁹ But I say to you, That ye resist not evil: but whoever shall strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.⁴⁰ And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have [thy] cloke also.⁴¹ And whoever shall constrain thee [to go] one mile, go with him two.⁴² Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.

⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy:⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you;⁴⁵ That ye may be the children of your Father who [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.⁴⁶ For if ye love them who love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?⁴⁷ And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so?⁴⁸ Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.