UST MAT Chapter 5

5 When Jesus saw these large groups of people, he went up on a hill. He sat down there, ready to teach, and his apprentices gathered around him to listen. 2 Then, he began to instruct them. He said,

3 “It is very good for those who do not have spiritual strength.

That is because they are part of God’s heavenly kingdom.

4 It is very good for those who grieve.

That is because God will encourage them.

5 It is very good for those who are gentle.

That is because God will give them the world when he renews it.

6 It is very good for those who greatly desire to do what is right.

That is because God will enable them to do what they desire to do.

7 It is very good for those who are merciful to other people.

That is because God will be merciful to them.

8 It is very good for those who only desire what is good.

That is because they will be with God.

9 It is very good for those who enable people to be peaceful with each other.

That is because God will regard them as his own children.

10 It is very good for those whom others mistreat because they do what is right.

That is because they are part of God’s heavenly kingdom.

11 It is very good for you whenever people act against you because you are my apprentices. They may shame you, mistreat you, and tell many hurtful lies about you. 12 When people treat you like that, God is ready to reward you greatly from heaven. So, you should rejoice very much! Further, people mistreated the Jewish prophets long ago just as people mistreat you now.

13 You are like salt since you make people in this world better, just as salt seasons food. However, if salt were to stop seasoning food well, no one could make it season food well again. No one can use it for anything. So, people throw it away, and others walk on it. In the same way, I will punish you if you do not make this world better. 14 You are like a light that illuminates everyone in this world since you tell people about me. You are like a town on a hill that everyone can see since everyone notices the good things that you do. 15 Further, when people light a lamp, they do not cover it with a basket. Instead, they put it on a lampstand. That way, it illuminates everyone in the house. 16 Just as the light from a lamp illuminates everyone in a house, so you should publicly do what is right. That way, people will notice the good things that you do. Then, they will praise God, your Father, who rules from heaven.

17 You should not conclude that I am here to abolish any parts of the Scriptures. I am not here to abolish them. Rather, I am here so that they come true. 18 Every part of the Scriptures will be authoritative as long as what God has created continues to exist. Further, the Scriptures will be authoritative until everything that their authors wrote about happens. What I have said is true. 19 So then, suppose that someone disregards even one of the most insignificant laws. Also, suppose that this person teaches other people to do the same thing. This person will be insignificant in God’s heavenly kingdom. In contrast, suppose that someone obeys the laws and teaches other people to do the same thing. This person will be very important in God’s heavenly kingdom. 20 Here is what I mean: You need to do what is right even more than the teachers of the Jewish law and the Pharisees do. That is the only way to participate in God’s heavenly kingdom.

21 You know that God said to our ancestors, ‘You must not murder anyone. People who murder someone deserve to have a judge decide they are guilty and punish them.’ 22 Now here is what I want to tell you: people who become angry with fellow believers deserve to have a judge decide they are guilty and punish them. People who insult fellow believers deserve to have the Jewish council decide they are guilty and punish them. People who say that fellow believers are foolish deserve to have God punish them in hell. 23 So then, suppose that you are standing near the altar in the temple to present something to God. Then, you recall that you have offended a fellow believer. 24 You should set down near the altar what you are presenting to God and depart to visit that fellow believer. You should resolve what happened to offend that fellow believer. Then, you can go back to the altar and present your gift to God. 25 Suppose that someone intends to say to a judge that you did something wrong. You should try to resolve what happened before that person can speak to the judge. That way, the person does not bring you to the judge, who would command one of the officials to put you in jail. 26 If you go to jail, you will never get out of there until you are able to pay every bit of what the judge says you owe. What I have said is true.

27 You know that God said, ‘Married people must remain sexually faithful to their spouses.’ 28 Now here is what I want to tell you: suppose that a man stares at a woman who is not his wife so that he can think about having sex with her. Simply because of what he desires, he has been sexually unfaithful to his wife. 29 Suppose that you sinned because you looked at something. You should never do that again, even if you have to remove your eyes to make sure of it! You should respond that drastically because it is better for you to have no eyes than to have a complete body but end up in hell. 30 Suppose that you sinned because you touched something. You should never do that again, even if you have to chop off your hands to make sure of it! You should respond that drastically because it is better for you to have no hands than to have a complete body but end up in hell.

31 God said, ‘Suppose that a man wants to divorce his wife. He must present her with a document that states that he is divorcing her.’ 32 Now here is what I want to tell you: a man may divorce his wife only if she has had improper sex. When a man divorces his wife for any other reason, he makes her disobey what God commanded about being sexually faithful to one’s spouse. Further, any man who marries a woman whose husband has divorced her also disobeys what God commanded about being sexually faithful to one’s spouse.

33 Here are more examples: you know that God said to our ancestors, ‘You must not promise to do anything that you will not do. Rather, you must always do what you promised the Lord that you would do.’ 34 Now here is what I want to tell you: you must never have someone or something guarantee what you promise. For example, you must not have heaven guarantee it. That is because heaven is where God rules. 35 You must not have the earth guarantee what you promise. That is because the earth is what God rules over. You must not have the city of Jerusalem guarantee it. That is because Jerusalem is a city that belongs to God, who is a powerful king.

36 You must not have your own head guarantee what you promise. That is because you cannot even control what color your hairs are. 37 When you promise something, just say ‘Yes, I will do it,’ or ‘No, I will not do it.’ When you say more to guarantee what you promised, you are doing what Satan wants you to do.

38 You know that God said, ‘You must punish people in a way that matches how they hurt others. For example, consider a person who blinded someone. You should punish that person by blinding him or her too. Consider a person who knocked out someone’s tooth. You should punish that person by knocking out his or her tooth too.’ 39 Now here is what I want to tell you: do not try to stop people who do bad things to you. Rather, suppose that someone insults you by hitting you on the right side of your face. You should turn your face so that the person can hit the left side also. 40 Suppose that someone wants to sue you for your shirt. You should give that person your coat as well. 41 Suppose that someone requires you to carry his or her burden for one section of road. You should continue to carry that person’s burden for a second section of road. 42 Suppose that someone requests something from you. You should give that person what they requested. Suppose that someone wants to receive a loan from you. You should lend money to that person.

43 You know that God said, ‘Care for your fellow Jews.’ Some people add, ‘Despise those who oppose you.’ 44 Now here is what I want to tell you: you should care for those who oppose you. You should pray for those who mistreat you. 45 God causes the sun to shine on people who are wicked and on people who are good. God makes it rain on people who do what is right and on people who do what is wrong. So, when you care and pray for people who oppose you, you are like children of God, your Father, who rules from heaven. 46 Further, if you care for only those who care for you, do not expect God to reward you for doing that. Even unkind tax collectors care for those who care for them. 47 If you say hello only to fellow believers, you are not behaving any differently than unbelievers do. Even unbelieving non-Jews say hello to their friends. 48 So, you should always do what is right, just as God, your Father, who rules from heaven, always does what is right.

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