The Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) is Jesus' most famous speech and contains the core of his ethical teaching. Here we find the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and radical calls to a life marked by love, humility, and trust in God.
The Beatitudes
Jesus blesses those whom the world often overlooks—the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the humble.
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
Salt and Light
Jesus' disciples are called to be salt and light in the world.
13You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.
Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται; εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι εἰ μὴ ⸂βληθὲν ἔξω⸃ καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
14You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη·
15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket; they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
οὐδὲ καίουσιν λύχνον καὶ τιθέασιν αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν, καὶ λάμπει πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ.
16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
οὕτως λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσιν τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
The Law Fulfilled
Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it—with a deeper demand.
17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι·
18Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the Law until everything is accomplished.
ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.
20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ⸂ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη⸃ πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.
21You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,' and 'Whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις· Οὐ φονεύσεις· ὃς δʼ ἂν φονεύσῃ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει.
22But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever says to his brother, 'Raca,' will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to the fire of hell.[^1]
[^1]: *Raca* is an Aramaic term of contempt, roughly 'empty-head' or 'good-for-nothing.'
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ ⸀αὐτοῦ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει· ὃς δʼ ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ· Ῥακά, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ συνεδρίῳ· ὃς δʼ ἂν εἴπῃ· Μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός.
27You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη· Οὐ μοιχεύσεις.
28But I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὴν ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ.
Love Your Enemies
The radical command to love even those who persecute us.
43You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη· Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου καὶ μισήσεις τὸν ἐχθρόν σου.
44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ⸀ὑμῶν καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ ⸀τῶν διωκόντων ὑμᾶς·
45so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
ὅπως γένησθε υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ⸀ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους.
46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
ἐὰν γὰρ ἀγαπήσητε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, τίνα μισθὸν ἔχετε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ τελῶναι ⸂τὸ αὐτὸ⸃ ποιοῦσιν;
47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
καὶ ἐὰν ἀσπάσησθε τοὺς ⸀ἀδελφοὺς ὑμῶν μόνον, τί περισσὸν ποιεῖτε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ ⸀ἐθνικοὶ ⸂τὸ αὐτὸ⸃ ποιοῦσιν;
48You, therefore, are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Ἔσεσθε οὖν ὑμεῖς τέλειοι ⸀ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ⸀οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν.
Do Not Worry
Jesus calls us to trust rather than worry.
25"Therefore I tell you: do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν· μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί ⸀φάγητε, μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε· οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστι τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος;
26Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth far more than they?
ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά· οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν;
31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες· Τί φάγωμεν; ἤ· Τί πίωμεν; ἤ· Τί περιβαλώμεθα;
32The pagans chase after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ⸀ἐπιζητοῦσιν· οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων.
33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν ⸀βασιλείαν καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν.
34So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has trouble enough of its own.
μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε εἰς τὴν αὔριον, ἡ γὰρ αὔριον μεριμνήσει ⸀αὑτῆς· ἀρκετὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ κακία αὐτῆς.
The Golden Rule
The summary of the Law and the Prophets in one sentence.
12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ⸀ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται.
Building on the Rock
The one who hears and does Jesus' words builds their life on a solid foundation.
24Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ἀκούει μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ ποιεῖ αὐτούς, ⸀ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ φρονίμῳ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν ⸂αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν⸃ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν.
25The rain came down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.
καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴ καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶ καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ προσέπεσαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἔπεσεν, τεθεμελίωτο γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν.
26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀκούων μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ μὴ ποιῶν αὐτοὺς ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν ⸂αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν⸃ ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον.
27The rain came down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and struck that house, and it fell with a great crash."
καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴ καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶ καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ προσέκοψαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἔπεσεν, καὶ ἦν ἡ πτῶσις αὐτῆς μεγάλη.