| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, | 1When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples came to Him, |
| 2and he began to teach them. The Beatitudes | 2and He began to teach them, saying: |
| 3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. | 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. |
| 4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. | 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. |
| 5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. | 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. |
| 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. | 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. |
| 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. | 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. |
| 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. | 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. |
| 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. | 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. |
| 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. | 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. |
| 11 “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. | 11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. |
| 12 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. Teaching about Salt and Light | 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. |
| 13 “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. | 13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. |
| 14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. | 14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. |
| 15 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. | 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. |
| 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Teaching about the Law | 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. |
| 17 “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. | 17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. |
| 18 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. | 18For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. |
| 19 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. | 19So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. |
| 20 “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! Teaching about Anger | 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. |
| 21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ | 21You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ |
| 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. | 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell. |
| 23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, | 23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, |
| 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. | 24leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. |
| 25 “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. | 25Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. |
| 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny. Teaching about Adultery | 26Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. |
| 27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ | 27You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ |
| 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. | 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. |
| 29 So if your eye—even your good eye —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. | 29If your right eye causes you to sin, 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. |
| 30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand —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. Teaching about Divorce | 30And if your right hand 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 depart into hell. |
| 31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ | 31It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ |
| 32 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. Teaching about Vows | 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. |
| 33 “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 .’ | 33Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ |
| 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. | 34But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; |
| 35 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. | 35or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. |
| 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. | 36Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. |
| 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one. Teaching about Revenge | 37Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one. |
| 38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ | 38You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ |
| 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. | 39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; |
| 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. | 40if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; |
| 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. | 41and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. |
| 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. Teaching about Love for Enemies | 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. |
| 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. | 43You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ |
| 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! | 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, |
| 45 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. | 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. |
| 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. | 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? |
| 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. | 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? |
| 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. | 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. |
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