| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, | 1When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. After he sat down his disciples came to him. |
| 2and he began to teach them. The Beatitudes | 2Then he began to teach them by 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 the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. |
| 4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. | 4"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. |
| 5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. | 5"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. |
| 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. | 6"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. |
| 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. | 7"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. |
| 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. | 8"Blessed 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. | 9"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. |
| 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. | 10"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. |
| 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. | 11"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account 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 your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. |
| 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. | 13"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. |
| 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 located 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. | 15People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all 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 people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to 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. | 17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things 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. | 18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. |
| 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 anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so 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, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the 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.’ | 21"You have heard that it was said to an older generation, 'Do not murder,' and 'whoever murders will be subjected 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 say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says 'Fool' will be sent to fiery 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 then, if you bring your gift to 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 in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present 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. | 25Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will 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 | 26I tell you the truth, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny! |
| 27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ | 27"You 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 say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire 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, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body 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 | 30If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go 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.’ | 31"It was said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a legal document.' |
| 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 say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever 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 .’ | 33"Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, 'Do not break an 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 say to you, do not take oaths at all--not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, |
| 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. | 35not by earth, because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because 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. | 36Do not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one 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 | 37Let your word be 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no.' More than this is 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.’ | 38"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a 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 say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. |
| 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. | 40And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also. |
| 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. | 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. |
| 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 reject the one who wants to borrow from you. |
| 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. | 43"You 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 say to you, love your enemy 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. | 45so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the 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. | 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don't they? |
| 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. | 47And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don't they? |
| 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. | 48So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. |
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