Matthew 5 · WEB
The Sermon on the Mount: Beatitudes and the Higher Righteousness
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Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
2He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
10Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
11Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.
14You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden.
15Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
16Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17"Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
19Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
21"You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'
22But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
23"If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
24leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
26Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.
27"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;'
28but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
30If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
31"It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,'
32but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.
33"Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,'
34but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
35nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black.
37But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
38"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'
39But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
41Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
43"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?
47If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same?
48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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Summary
Jesus delivers the opening of his Sermon on the Mount, beginning with the Beatitudes that pronounce blessing on those the world overlooks. He calls his followers salt and light who must shine in the world, then declares he came to fulfill the Law rather than abolish it. Through six "you have heard...but I say" contrasts, Jesus reveals that true righteousness reaches into the heart, transforming anger, lust, marriage, oaths, retaliation, and even how we treat enemies, calling his followers to be perfect as the Father is perfect.
Themes
- Kingdom blessing on the humble and persecuted
- Public witness through good works
- Christ as the fulfillment of the Law
- Heart-level righteousness over mere external compliance
- Radical love for enemies
Key verses
- Matt 5:16 — “Let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
- Matt 5:44 — “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you.”
- Matt 5:48 — “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
- Matt 5:8 — “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Context & background
The Sermon on the Mount was likely delivered on a hillside near Capernaum on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake in modern northern Israel. Tradition locates it at the Mount of Beatitudes, a low hill overlooking the lake. Jesus addresses a Jewish audience steeped in the Mosaic Law, and his "you have heard...but I say" formula deliberately reframes traditional teaching with his own messianic authority. Gehenna, mentioned twice, refers to the Valley of Hinnom just south of Jerusalem (modern Israel), once a site of pagan child sacrifice and later a refuse dump, used as an image of final judgment.
Cross-references
- Exod 20:13-14 — The original commandments on murder and adultery that Jesus internalizes.
- Isa 61:1-3 — Background for the Beatitudes' promise of comfort to mourners and good news to the poor.
- Lev 19:18 — "Love your neighbor as yourself," which Jesus expands to include enemies.
- Luke 6:20-49 — Luke's parallel "Sermon on the Plain."
- Rom 12:14-21 — Paul's echo of "love your enemies" and overcoming evil with good.