Section B in suggested paragraphs
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On seeing the crowds he (Jesus) went up into the mountain. And on sitting down his disciples gathered around. Opening his mouth he taught them saying. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for of them is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek people for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the people who are clean of heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness for the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you for my sake and say all types of evil and lies against you. Rejoice and be glad because your reward in heaven will be great. For they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way."
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt is tainted how shall it be salted? It is good for nothing except to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. Now a city cannot be hidden when set on a mountain.
Nor do they light a lamp and place it under the bushel. Rather they put it on the lamp stand and it lights up all those in the house. Thus let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and may glorify your Father in the heavens."
"Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, not one iota or point of the law will pass away from the law, in heaven or earth, until everything comes to pass. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do this will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps the law and teaches it will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You heard what was said to the ancients “You shall not kill and whoever kills is liable to the judgment.” But I tell you that anyone being angry with his brother is liable to the judgment. Whoever says to his brother “Raca will be liable to the council.” And whoever says “You Fool” will be liable to the gehenna of fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar and remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go first to be reconciled to your brother and then coming offer your gift. Be well disposed to your opponent while you are with him along the way in case your opponent delivers you to the judge and the judge to the attendant and you are cast into prison. Truly I tell you that you will definitely not come out until you have paid back the last farthing."
"You heard that it was said “You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who sees a woman and lusts after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to lose your eye rather than for the whole of your body to be cast into gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to stumble cut it off and cast it from
you. It is better for you to lose one of your limbs rather than for your whole body to be cast into gehenna."
"It was said “Whoever dismisses his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce. But I tell you that everyone who dismisses his wife, apart from a matter of fornication, makes her commit adultery. Whoever marries a dismissed woman commits adultery. Again you heard that it was said to the ancients. You shall not commit perjury. You shall keep your oaths to the Lord. But I tell you not to swear at all, neither by heaven because it is the throne of God, nor by earth because it is his foot stool.
Nor (should you swear) by Jerusalem because it is the city of the great
(Note: Text is mainly a paraphrase of the Literal translation in the RSV Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, 1988) | king. Do not swear by your head either because you cannot make one hair go either white or black. Let your word be “Yes yes, or No no. For there evil in all these excesses. You heard that it was said “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you not to oppose evil. But rather if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek. And if someone wants to judge you and take your tunic, allow him to take your outer garment as well. And whoever shall impress you to go one mile, go two miles with him. To the one who asks you to give and to the one wanting to borrow from you, do not turn away. You heard that it was said ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may become sons of your Father in the heavens. He makes his sun rise on evil and good men alike and it rains on both just men and unjust. If you love those who love you what reward do you gain for that? Even the tax-collectors do the same. And if you only greet your brothers, what is there extra about that. Even the gentiles do that. Therefore be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect." "Be wary of your righteousness so as not to do something in front of people with a view to being seen by them. Otherwise you will not be rewarded for this by your heavenly Father. Therefore when you give alms do not sound a trumpet before yourself as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so they may be praised by people. Truly I tell you they already have their reward. But when you give alms do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your alms may be in secret. And your father, seeing you do this in secret will repay you. And when you pray do not be like the hypocrites because they love to be seen in the synagogues and on the corners of open streets standing there praying so as to be seen by others. Truly I tell you they have their reward. But when you pray enter into your private room and shutting the door pray to your Father in secret. Your Father seeing you in secret will repay you. In praying do not use empty words like the Gentiles. They think that in doing a lot of talking they will be heard. Do not be like them. For God your Father knows what things you need before you ask him. Therefore pray like this. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. May your kingdom come. May your will be come about on earth as it is in heaven. Give us our daily bread. And forgive us our sins as indeed we forgive the debts of others. Do not bring us into temptation but rescue us from evil. For if you forgive people their trespasses your Father in heaven will forgive you also. But if you do not forgive people neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. When you fast do not be gloomy like the hypocrites. They disfigure their faces so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Truly I tell you they have had their reward. But in fasting anoint your head and wash your face so that you will not appear to others to be fasting but your father will know and your Father on seeing you do this in secret will repay you." "Do not accumulate treasure for yourself on earth where the moth and the rust destroy it and where thieves dig through and steal it. Lay up treasure for yourself in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not dig through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will also be your heart. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye be sound the whole of your body will be in the light. But if your eye is evil, the whole of your body will be in darkness. If therefore the means of light within you is dark how great is the dark. Nobody can serve two lords. Either he will hate the one and love the other. Or he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon. Therefore I tell you. Do not be anxious about your life - what you may eat or what you may drink. Nor be anxious about your | body - what you may put on. Is not life worth more than food and the body worth more than clothing. Look at the birds of heaven. They do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns. Yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than them? But who amongst you on being anxious about height can add a single cubit to this? And as regards clothing why are you anxious? Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They do not labour nor spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these. There is grass that may be in the field today yet tomorrow is thrown into the oven. Even so God still clothes it. How much more will he clothe you of you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious saying “What may we eat? or What may be drink? or What may we put on? Everyone looks for these things. Your heavenly father knows that you need all these things. Rather seek first the kingdom and his righteousness. Then these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for the morrow for the morrow has its own anxieties. Sufficient for the day is its own evil.” 7:1-12 "Do not judge in case you are judged in turn. For with whatever judgment you judge others you will be judged in turn. With whatever measure your measure out things will be measured out for you in the same way. Why do you see the chip in your brother’s eye when you do not consider the beam in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother “Let me pluck out the chip in your eye yet there is a beam in your own? Hypocrite. Pluck the beam out of your own eye first of all. Then you will see clearly and you will be able to pluck out the chip from your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs. Neither cast your pearls before the pigs lest they trample them with their feet and turning may attack you. Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you. Everyone asking will receive and those who seek will find and to the one knocking it will be opened. Which amongst you will not give his son a loaf of bread when he asks for it rather than a stone.” Or if he asks, will give him a fish and not a serpent. If therefore you who are evil know what good gifts to give to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give good things to those who ask. Treat others in the same way as you would like them to treat you. This is the message of the law and the prophets." 7:13-23 "Enter through the narrow gate because the gate leading to destruction is both wide and broad and there are many who go through it. The gate leading to life is strait and narrow and there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets who come to you in the clothing of sheep but inwardly they are greedy wolves. You will know them from their fruits. People do not gather grapes from thorns nor figs from thistles. Every good tree produces good fruit. But the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree cannot bear good fruit, nor a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore you will know them from their fruits. Not everyone saying to me “Lord Lord” will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But the one doing the will of my father in heaven (will enter). Many will say to me on that day “Lord Lord, did we not prohesy in your name and expel demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name?” And then I will declare to them. “I never knew you. Depart from me, you who were working in lawlessness. Everyone therefore who hears these words from me will be like a prudent man who built his house on rock. The rain came and the rivers came and the winds blew against that house and it did not fall, for it had been founded on rock. And everyone hearing these words of mine and not doing them will be likened to a foolish man who built his house on sand. And the rain came and the rivers came and the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell and its fall was a great one." |