Ye have heard it said by them of old, Thou shalt not commit adultery.
But I say, Whoever looks on a woman in lust has already committed
adultery in his heart. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and
cast it away. It is more profitable for thee that one of thy members
should perish rather than thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy
right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee. It is more
profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish rather than
thy whole body be cast into hell.
It has been said, Whoever puts away his wife shall give her a writing
of divorcement. But I say, Whoever puts away his wife, except for
reason of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever
marries her that is divorced commits adultery.
Also, ye have heard it said by them of old, Thou shalt not forswear
thyself but perform your oaths unto the Lord. But I say, take no oaths
at all. Do not swear by heaven because it is God's throne. Do not swear
by the earth because it is His footstool. Do not swear by Jerusalem for
it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by thy self because you
are incapable of making even one hair white or black. Let your
statement be only Yea, yes; Nay, no: for anything more than this comes
to evil.
Ye have heard it said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I
say, Do not resist evil. Whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn
the other to him also. And, if any one lawfully sues you and takes away
thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. Whoever compels you to go a
mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you. From him who would
borrow from you, do not turn away.
Ye have heard it said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine
enemy. But I say, Love your enemy. Bless those who curse you. Do good
to those who hate you. Pray for those who spitefully use and persecute
you.
Do this that ye may be the children of your Father in heaven. He makes
His sun rise on the evil and on the good. He sends rain on the just and
on the unjust. If ye love only those who love you, what reward have ye?
Do not even the publicans do this? And if ye greet your friends only,
what do ye do more than others? Do not even the publicans do this?
Instead be ye as perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.
6. Take heed that ye do not do your almsgiving to be seen by
others. If so, ye have no reward from your Father in heaven. When you
give, do not sound a trumpet in the synagogues and in the streets as do
the hypocrites. They seek the glory of men. Verily, I say unto you,
They have their reward.
When you give alms, do not let thy left hand know what thy right does.
Give alms in secret and thy Father, who sees in secret, shall reward
thee openly.
When thou pray, thou shalt not be like the hypocrites. They love to
pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets so
they may be seen. Verily, I say unto you, They have their reward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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