Chapter 5 – One God Translation

Matthew

   5 When Jesus saw the crowds he went up the mountain.[86] He sat down and his disciples joined him. 2 He started to teach them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 4 Blessed are the grieving, because they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the whole earth.[87] 6 Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for what is right, because they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are those who have clean[88] hearts, because they will see God. 9 Blessed are those who make peace,because they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted for what is right, because the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
   11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because of me. 12 Be happy and full of joy, because your reward in heaven[89] is great, because they persecuted the prophets who were before you in the same way.
   13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is useless, and it is tossed out and trampled underfoot. 14 You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under a bucket. Instead they put it on a lampstand and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine in front of people, so that they can see the good things you do and praise your heavenly Father.
   17 “Do not imagine that I came to abolish the Law or the prophets’ writings.I did not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.[90] 18 I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke will pass from the Law until everything is fulfilled. 19 Whoever invalidates one of the least important commandments, and teaches others to do so, will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 I tell you this: unless your righteousness exceeds that of the religious teachers and the Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. [91]
   21 “You have heard what was said to the people of long ago: ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who commits murder will be judged as guilty.’ 22 But I tell you, anyone who is angry with his brother will be judged as guilty. Whoever curses his brother with insults will be liable to the court, and whoever calls his brother a fool is liable to hell-fire. 23 So if you are at the altar making an offering, and remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering on the altar and go and make peace with him first, and afterwards come back and make your offering. 25 Agree with your opponent quickly while you are with him on the way to court, so that he does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to officer, and you are thrown into jail. 26 I tell you the truth: you will not get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
   27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye leads you to sin, then tear it out and throw it away, because it is better to lose one part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell-fire. 30 If your right hand leads you to sin, then cut it off and throw it away, because it is better for you to lose one of your limbs than for your whole body to go into hell-fire.
   31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that everyone who divorces[92] his wife, except for sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
   33 “And again, you have heard what was said to the people of long ago, ‘You shall not make false vows; instead keep the oaths you swear to the Lord.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear at all, not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, 35 nor by the earth, because it is God’s footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 Simply say yes or no. Any more than this is from the Evil One.
   38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek to them as well. 40 If someone wants to get a judgment against you and take your shirt, give him your coat as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to those who ask you, and do not turn away from those who want to borrow from you.
   43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your heavenly Father. He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and He makes rain fall on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do that? 47 If you only speak kindly to your family, are you doing more than anyone else? Do not even the Gentiles do that? 48 So be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Matthew

[86]

As the new Moses, Jesus received instruction on a mountain as had Moses.

[87]

This is the ultimate fulfillment of the great land promise made to Abraham and Israel, and thus to the Messiah who offers the same destiny to his true followers. The reward is very different from what became a tradition of the church that the faithful go to heaven when they die! In fact they will inherit the land/earth when Jesus comes back (Ps. 37:9, 11, 18, 22, 29, 34). Cp. Ps. 25:13; 115:16; Isa. 65:9; 62:4; 57:13; 49:8; Dan. 7:18, 22, 27; Rom. 4:13. Why would anyone want to go to heaven when Jesus won’t be there?! He is coming back to the earth.

[88]

Cleansing occurs when people obey the words of the Gospel as Jesus preached it (Jn. 15:3).

[89]

Rewards in the Bible are stored up as treasure “with God” and will be conferred on the faithful at the return of Jesus to rule in the worldwide Kingdom of God on earth. Thus Christians “have” a reward “with God,” although it is possessed only in promise and prospect. In exactly the same sense, in John 17:5 Jesus prayed at the conclusion of his ministry to received the reward of glory which he “had with God,” promised by God before the world began. Such is the certainty and guarantee of God’s promises. Christians “have been glorified” (Rom. 8:30) and this is likewise expressed in the past tense, although it is only in promise and prospect since believers will be glorified only when Jesus returns to the earth to reward the faithful with “the reward of the inheritance” of the Kingdom (Col. 3:24). Nowhere did Jesus ever ask for the restoration of glory he had had already, just as he nowhere (despite mistranslations in NIV at Jn. 13:3; 16:28; 20:17) said he was going back to GOD!

[90]

The fulfillment brought by Jesus meant teaching the spiritual intention of the Law, not just the letter of the Law of Moses.

[91]

It is obvious that Jesus was not teaching the Law of Moses in the letter. If Jesus were advocating Moses in the letter of the law, Paul was a great false teacher, when he insisted, against the clear instructions of Gen. 17, that circumcision in the flesh was not required of anyone (1 Cor. 7:19; Gal. 5:2, 3, 11). Circumcision in the flesh was essential for anyone, Jew or Gentile, to be part of the covenant people in Gen. 17. Jesus brought in the spiritual intention of the law, its “filling full,” and in Mark 7:19 it is clear that the church understood him to have abolished the food laws of Lev. 11, as did Paul obviously in Rom. 14:14, 20. Paul considered foods clean (katharos) which were in Lev. 11 listed as unclean (akathartos). Jesus very wisely pointed out that even in OT times the priests were not guilty for breaking the sabbath, in the course of their duty (Mt. 12:5). Jesus has “abolished the law of commandments in ordinances” (Eph. 2:14-15), those requirements like observing the Jewish calendar and food laws (see the parallel in Col. 2:16-17). The wearing of tassels is not required under the new covenant, nor is physical circumcision for anyone, Jew and Gentile believer (see Gen. 17; Gal. 5:3, 11).

[92]

It should not be necessary to add that divorce on legal grounds given by Jesus means the end of a marriage. Jesus was not asked about and is not talking about separation but about divorce. People who are divorced within the scope of Jesus’ teaching are not married and are free to marry, within the faith of course.