Section IX.
1 128 Ye have heard also that it was said unto the ancients, Lie not, but perform unto God in thy oaths: 2 129 but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; 3 130 nor by the earth, for it is a footstool under his feet; nor yet by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 4 132 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make in it one lock of hair black or white. 5 133 But your word shall be either Yea or Nay, and what is in excess of this is of the evil one.
6 134 Ye have heard that it was said, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth: 7 135 but I say unto you, Stand not in opposition to the evil; but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other. 8 138 And he that would sue thee, and take thy tunic, leave to him also thy wrapper. 9 And whosoever compelleth thee one mite, go with him twain. 10 139 And he that asketh thee, give unto him: and he that would borrow of thee, prevent him not. And prosecute not him that taketh thy substance. 11 141 And as ye desire that men should do to you, so do ye also to them.
12 142 Ye have heard that it was said, Love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy: 13 143 but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for those that curse you, and deal well with those that hate you, and pray for those who take you with violence and persecute you; 14 144 that ye may be sons of your heavenly Father, who maketh his sun to rise on the good and the evil, and sendeth down his rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 15 145 If ye love them that love you, what reward shall ye have? for the publicans and sinners also love those that love them. 16 146 And if ye do a kindness to those who treat you well, where is your superiority? for sinners also do likewise. 17 147 And if ye lend to him of whom ye hope for a reward, where is your superiority? for the sinners also lend to sinners, seeking recompense from them. 18 150 But love your enemies, and do good to them, and lend, and cut not off the hope of any man; that your reward may be great, and ye may be the children of the Highest: for he is lenient towards the wicked and the ungrateful. 19 151 Be ye merciful, even as your Father also is merciful. 20 152 And if ye inquire for the good of your brethren only, what more have ye done than others? is not this the conduct of the publicans also? 21 153 Be ye now perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
22 155 Consider your alms; do them not before men to let them see you: and if it be not so, ye have no reward before your Father which is in the heavens. 23 157 When then thou givest an alms now, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as do the people of hypocrisy, in the synagogues and the marketplaces, that men may praise them. And verily say I unto you, They have received their reward. 24 158 But thou, when thou doest alms, let thy left hand not know what thy right hand doeth; 25 159 that thine alms may be concealed: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
26 160 And whenever thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites, who love to stand in the synagogues and in the corners of the marketplaces for prayers, that men may behold them. 27 161 And verily say I unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and fasten thy door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 28 162 And whenever ye pray, be not babblers, as the heathen; for they think that by the abundance of their words they shall be heard. 29 163 Then be not ye now like unto them: for your Father knoweth your request before ye ask him. 30 164 One of his disciples said unto him, Our Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples. 31 165 Jesus said unto them, Thus now pray ye now: 32 167 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 33 168 Thy kingdom come. 34 169 Thy will be done , as in heaven, so on earth. Give us the food of to-day. 35 171 And forgive, us our trespasses, as we forgave those that trespassed against us. 36 172 And bring us not into temptations, but deliver us from the evil one. 37 173 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. If ye forgive men their wrong-doing, your Father which is in heaven will forgive you. 38 176 But if ye forgive not men, neither will your Father pardon your wrong-doing.
39 177 When ye fast, do not frown, as the hypocrites; for they make their faces austere, that they may be seen of men that they are fasting. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. 40 179 But when thou fastest, wash thy face and anoint thy head; 41 180 that thou make not an appearance to men of fasting, but to thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee.
42 181 Be not agitated, little flock; for your Father hath delighted to give you the kingdom. 43 182 Sell your possessions, and give in alms; take to yourselves purses that wax not old. 44 183 Lay not up treasure on earth, where moth and worm corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 45 184 but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and worm do not corrupt, nor thieves break through nor steal: 46 185 for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 47 186 The lamp of the body is the eye: if then thine eye now be sound, thy whole body also shall be light. 48 188 But if thine eye be evil, all thy body shall be dark. And if the light which is in thee is darkness, how great is thy darkness! 49 190 Be watchful that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 50 191 Because that, if thy whole body is light, and have no part dark, it shall all be light, as the lamp giveth light to thee with its flame.