The Sermon on the Mount of Jesus Christ, with alternative meanings of Greek words. Explanations and clarifications help us understand the meaning of what Jesus said.
Matthew, Chapter 5
- Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
- And opening His mouth, He taught them, saying:
- Blessed (happy) are the poor (those lacking or in need of something) in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Literally: “it belongs to them.”)
- Blessed (happy) are those who mourn (grieve), for they will be comforted (encouraged).
- Blessed (happy) are the meek (kind, self-controlled, gentle, calm), for they will inherit (receive as their possession) the earth.
- Blessed (happy) are those who hunger (are hungry) and thirst (because of lack of water) for righteousness (justice, fairness, legality), for they will be filled. (Their needs will be met; they will be satisfied.)
- Blessed (happy) are the merciful (compassionate, empathetic), for they will receive mercy.
- Blessed (happy) are the pure (cleansed) in heart, for they will see God. (He will appear to them; He will let them see Him.)
- Blessed (happy) are the peacemakers, for they will be called (receive the name, be named) sons of God.
- Blessed (happy) are those who are persecuted (driven out) for righteousness (justice, fairness, lawfulness), for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
- Blessed (happy) are you when people insult (revile, offend, slander) you and persecute (drive out, pursue) you and falsely say all kinds of evil things (lie about you, slander you) against you because of Me.
- Rejoice and be glad (exult, celebrate), for great (abundant) is your reward (recompense, wages) in heaven; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
- You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its strength (becomes bland), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled (trodden) by people.
- You are the light (illumination, enlightenment) of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden (concealed).
- And when they light a lamp (oil lamp), they do not put it under a container, but on a lampstand (stand), and it gives light to everyone in the house.
- In the same way, let your light shine before (in the presence of, ahead of, in front of) people, so that they may see your good works (deeds, actions) and glorify your Heavenly Father.
- Do not think (suppose) that I came to abolish (destroy, cancel) the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish (destroy, cancel) them, but to fulfill (complete, supplement, fill full) them.
- For truly I say to you: until heaven and earth pass away (pass, come to an end), not the smallest letter or stroke will pass away (pass, come to an end) from the Law until everything is fulfilled (takes place, happens).
- Therefore, whoever breaks (abolishes, cancels, annuls) one of the least (smallest, least important) of these commandments (instructions, directives) and teaches others to do the same will be called least (smallest, least important) in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever practices (does, carries out, fulfills) them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
- For I tell you, unless your righteousness (justice, fairness, lawfulness) surpasses (increases, reaches abundance) that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
- You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times: You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.
- But I say to you that everyone who is angry (who is upset, who is furious) with his brother without cause (thoughtlessly, for no reason) will be subject to judgment (condemnation); whoever says to his brother, “Raca” (fool, stupid—expressing contempt for a person's intellect, “you cannot think clearly”), will be subject to the Sanhedrin (the highest council of the Jews); and whoever says, “You fool” (stupid, dull—expressing contempt for his soul and character, “you scoundrel”), will be subject to the fiery hell.
- Therefore, if you bring your gift (present) to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
- leave your gift (present) there before the altar, and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (present).
- Make peace with your adversary (opponent) quickly (hastily, immediately), while (when) you are still on the way with him, lest your adversary hand (deliver) you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison (detention in custody);
- truly I say to you: you will not get out of there until you have paid (paid back, returned) the last kodrantes.
- You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times: You shall not commit adultery.
- But I say to you that everyone who looks (gazes) at a woman with lust (with intense desire, longing, yearning) has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- If your right eye causes you to stumble (gives you occasion to fall, leads you into temptation), tear it out and throw it away from you (get rid of it), for it is better for you to lose (destroy, eliminate) one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
- And if your right hand causes you to stumble (gives you occasion to fall, leads you into temptation), cut it off (root it out, destroy it) and throw it away from you, for it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
- It has also been said that whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce (a written document for the wife's legal protection)
- But I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except on account of sexual immorality (the word, rumor, hearsay, accounts) (porneia—sexual sin, debauchery, prostitution, immorality, promiscuity), causes her to commit adultery (moichao—to violate marital faithfulness, to be unfaithful to her husband); and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (moichao—to violate marital faithfulness)
- You have also heard that it was said to those of old: Do not break your oaths, but fulfill your oaths before the Lord.
- But I tell you: Do not swear (make an oath) at all: neither by heaven, because it is the throne of God;
- nor by the earth, because it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King;
- nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.
- But let your word be, “Yes, yes” or “No, no”; anything more than this is from the evil one (evil, worthless, bad, wicked).
- You have heard that it was said: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
- But I tell you: Do not resist (stand against) the evil one (worthless, bad, wicked, evil). But whoever strikes (slaps, strikes with the palm) you on your right cheek, turn the other to him as well;
- And whoever wants (desires) to sue (accuse, condemn) you and take your shirt (tunic, undergarment), let him have your outer (robe, cloak) garment as well;
- and whoever compels (forces, makes) you to go with him one mile, go with him two.
- Give to the one who asks (begs, demands, seeks) from you, and do not turn away (turn your back) from the one who wants to borrow from you.
- You have heard that it was said: You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
- But I tell you: Love (a'gapaw) your enemies, (bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you – not in the original) and pray for those who mistreat and persecute you,
- that you may be sons of your Heavenly Father, for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
- For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
- And if you greet (welcome warmly, receive joyfully) only your brothers, what special thing are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
- Therefore be perfect (mature, complete, fully grown), as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew, chapter 6
- Take care (beware, watch) not to practice your righteousness (compassion, mercy, almsgiving) before people in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward from your Heavenly Father.
- Therefore, when you give alms (compassion, mercy, almsgiving), do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites (actors, pretenders) do in the synagogues (places where Jews gather to worship God) and in the streets (lanes, narrow streets), so that people may praise (honor, glorify) them. Truly I tell you: they have already received their reward. (They have already received their full recompense.)
- But when you give alms (compassion, mercy, almsgiving), do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
- so that your alms may be given in secret; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly (visibly, publicly).
- And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites (actors, pretenders, impostors), who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners (broad roads), in order to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have already received their reward (received their full recompense).
- But when you pray, go into your room (storeroom, inner room, secret room), shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret (hidden, secret, concealed); and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly (visibly, publicly).
- And when you pray, do not use empty phrases (vain words), as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words;
- Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
- Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven! (Our Heavenly Father) May Your name be hallowed (may Your name be holy);
- May Your Kingdom come (may Your reign come); may Your will (Your desires) be done (come to pass, be fulfilled) on earth as it is in heaven;
- Give us this day our daily bread (food);
- and forgive (release, cancel, remove the guilt, annul) us our debts (what we owe), as (just as, because) we also forgive our debtors (the word means a moral obligation);
- And do not lead us into temptation (testing, enticement), but deliver (save, free) us from the evil one (the worthless, bad, wicked one). For Yours is the Kingdom (reign) and the power (dunamis—might, strength, power, ability, miracle-working) and the glory (honor, greatness, splendor, radiance, brightness) forever. Amen.
- For if you forgive (release) people their trespasses (deeds, offenses), your Heavenly Father will also forgive you,
- but if you do not forgive people their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
- Also, when you fast, do not be gloomy (sad, somber) like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces (distort, deface their faces) so that people may see that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have already received their reward (they have already received their full recompense).
- But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
- so that you may not appear to be fasting to people but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
- Do not store up (keep, save, accumulate) treasures (valuables) for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust (corrosion) destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
- But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal,
- for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- The lamp (light) of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye is pure (clear, healthy, generous, sincere), your whole body will be full of light (shining brightly, luminous);
- but if your eye is evil (wicked, worthless, bad, malicious), your whole body will be full of darkness (lying in darkness, covered with darkness). Therefore, if the light (lamp) in you is darkness (darkness, gloom), how great is that darkness? (how terrible this darkness is)
- No one can serve (be a slave to, be in bondage to) two masters: for either he will hate (neglect, turn away from, disregard) one and love the other; or he will be devoted to (support, cling to) one and despise (disregard, treat with contempt) the other. You cannot serve (be a slave to, be in bondage to) God and mammon (wealth, possessions, money).
- Therefore I tell you: do not worry (be anxious, be concerned) about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
- Look (see, consider) at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; and your Heavenly Father feeds (nourishes, nurtures, raises, grows) them. Are you not much better (more worthy, superior, more valuable) than they?
- And which of you, by being anxious (being concerned), can add a single cubit to his stature? (46 cm.)
- And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
- yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these;
- and if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more (more readily, more suitably, more surely) clothe you, O you of little faith!
- Therefore do not worry (be anxious) and say, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
- For all these things the Gentiles seek, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
- But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
- Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew, chapter 7
- Do not judge, so that you will not be judged;
- for with the judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
- And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye?
- Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye,” while there is a beam in your own eye?
- Hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
- Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and, turning, tear you to pieces.
- Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you;
- for everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
- Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks him for bread, would give him a stone?
- And if he asks for a fish, would give him a snake?
- So if you, though evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him.
- Therefore, whatever you want people to do to you, do the same to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
- Enter through the narrow gate, because wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it;
- because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and few find it.
- Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
- You will recognize them by their fruits. Do people gather grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
- So every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
- A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
- Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
- Therefore, by their fruits you will recognize them.
- Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord! Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does the will of My Heavenly Father.
- Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?”
- And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”
- Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock;
- and the rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock.
- But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand;
- and the rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and struck that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.
- And when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were astonished at His teaching.
- for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.
