Matthew 5
The full text of Matthew 5 in the Trinity Bible Version — clear modern English, translated from the original Greek. Free to read.
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,
2 and he began to teach them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the council. And anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
25 "Settle matters quickly with your accuser who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'
32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.'
34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
37 All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'
39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Translation notes (21)
- Matthew 5:2a The Greek phrase 'opening his mouth, he taught them' is a Semitic idiom that marks the start of solemn and weighty instruction.
- Matthew 5:3a The Greek word makarioi is rendered 'Blessed,' consistent with the Hebrew word ashrei. It pronounces a flourishing, God-favored state, not mere happiness. The phrase 'poor in spirit' (Greek ptochoi to pneumati) describes those who recognize their spiritual poverty and dependence on God.
- Matthew 5:5a The Greek word praeis describes someone who is gentle, humble, and not self-assertive, representing strength under control rather than weakness. This echoes Psalm 37:11. The Greek phrase ten gen can mean either 'the earth' or 'the land' (referring to the promised land in the Psalm); 'the earth' is used here, preserving the resonance of the land promise.
- Matthew 5:9a The Greek phrase huioi theou literally means 'sons of God'; here it is a status or family idiom that includes all, so it is rendered inclusively as 'children of God.'
- Matthew 5:17a The Greek word plerosai, meaning 'to fulfill,' contrasts with katalysai, meaning 'to abolish' or 'tear down.' It carries the sense of bringing to full meaning and intended completion, not merely 'obey.' The phrase 'The Law or the Prophets' is shorthand for the entire Hebrew Scriptures.
- Matthew 5:18a The Greek word amen, meaning 'truly,' is a solemn affirmation Jesus uses to introduce weighty sayings. The word iota refers to the smallest Hebrew letter, yod. The Greek word keraia, meaning 'horn,' refers to a tiny stroke that distinguishes similar letters.
- Matthew 5:22a Many later manuscripts add the phrase 'without cause' (Greek eike) after 'angry,' which softens the saying. However, the earliest manuscripts, including Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, omit it. The Trinity Bible Version follows the shorter, earlier reading and notes this variant.
- Matthew 5:22b 'Raca' is an untranslated Aramaic term of contempt, roughly meaning 'empty-head.' 'Gehenna,' which is rendered 'hell,' refers to the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, an image of final judgment. The phrase 'Brother or sister' renders the Greek word adelphos, which is used here for a fellow member of the community and is inclusive of women and men.
- Matthew 5:26a The Greek word kodrantes refers to the Roman quadrans, which was the smallest copper coin. 'The last penny' renders the sense of paying every last fraction.
- Matthew 5:28a The Greek phrase pros to epithymesai auten expresses purpose or intent: it describes looking in order to lust, a cultivated covetous gaze, rather than an involuntary first glance.
- Matthew 5:29a The Greek word skandalizei means 'causes you to stumble' or 'trips you into sin.' The word 'Hell' here translates Gehenna (see note at 5:22). This is a deliberate and forceful exaggeration, not a literal instruction.
- Matthew 5:32a The Greek phrase parektos logou porneias means 'except on the ground of porneia.' The Greek word porneia is a broad term for sexual immorality, and its precise meaning here (such as adultery, incestuous marriage, premarital unchastity, or unlawful unions) is debated among different traditions and is not resolved by this translation.
- Matthew 5:32b The Greek phrase poiei auten moicheuthenai is passive, meaning he 'makes her be adulterated' or causes her to be involved in adultery; this wording places the consequence on what the husband does to her. The relationship of this saying to Matthew 19:9, Mark 10:11-12, and Luke 16:18 is part of a long interpretive debate.
- Matthew 5:37a The Greek phrase ek tou ponerou can mean either 'from the evil one' (referring to the devil) or 'from evil'; the grammatical form is ambiguous, and the choice between these meanings is debated.
- Matthew 5:39a The Greek phrase me antistenai to ponero means 'do not resist' or 'do not set yourself against the evildoer.' The Greek word to ponero may refer to 'an evil person' or 'evil' in general, but the personal sense fits the following examples. The instruction about a right-cheek slap, which was a backhanded insult, frames this as a response to humiliation, not an abandonment of justice.
- Matthew 5:40a The Greek word chiton refers to the inner garment, like a shirt, while himation refers to the outer cloak or coat. Surrendering even the cloak, which was legally protected property (Exodus 22:26-27), sharpens the meaning of this saying.
- Matthew 5:41a The Greek word angareusei refers to the legal right of a soldier or official to compel a civilian into service, as seen with Simon of Cyrene in Matthew 27:32. The mile mentioned here is the Roman mile.
- Matthew 5:43a 'Love your neighbor' quotes Leviticus 19:18. 'Hate your enemy' is not an Old Testament command but a contemporary inference that Jesus cites and overturns.
- Matthew 5:44a Some later manuscripts expand this verse with 'bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,' which harmonizes with Luke 6:27-28. However, the earliest manuscripts have the shorter reading that is followed here.
- Matthew 5:45a The Greek word huioi, meaning 'sons,' is used here as an idiom to describe a relationship or likeness; it is rendered inclusively as 'children.'
- Matthew 5:48a The Greek word teleios means complete, mature, or brought to the intended goal, rather than flawless in a modern moralistic sense. It echoes the Hebrew word tamim, which means whole or wholehearted toward God. The translation 'Perfect' is kept for its breadth, though 'complete' or 'mature' is the underlying nuance.
About this translation
The Trinity Bible Version (TBV) is Trinity Bible's own modern English translation, worked directly from the original Greek and honest to the earliest manuscripts. It was completed in 2026 — the most modern English Bible translation — and is exclusive to Trinity Bible. Every chapter, including all of Matthew, is free to read here on the web.
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