THE
*GOSPEL
ACCORDING TO
^ MATTHEW

Matthew 5

1Christ beginneth his sermon upon the mount, declaring who are blessed: 13he calleth his disciples the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and urgeth upon them the necessity of setting a good example. 17He came not to destroy, but to fulfil, the law. 21He extendeth the precepts against murder, 27adultery, 33and false swearing: 38exhorteth to suffer wrong patiently, 43to love our enemies, 48and to aim at perfection.


1AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2And he 1opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

1 An Hebrew manner of speaking, when anyone begins to speak premeditatedly, with earnestness and freedom, for the instruction of others. See Job 33:2; Acts 8:35.

3Blessedaare the 2poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

a Luke 6:20.

2 That is, the humble and broken-hearted ones, who, understanding their own nothingness, have a low opinion of themselves, relying only on the grace of God in Christ Jesus, Psalm 51:17; Isa. 57:15.

4Blessedbare they that 3mourn: for they shall be comforted.

b Luke 6:21.

3 That is, who are sorrowful for sin; of which sorrow is also spoken 1 Cor. 5:2 and 2 Cor. 7:9, to whom are contrasted those who live in all sumptuousness and jollity, Luke 16:19, 25.

5Blessedcare the meek: for they shall 4inherit the earth.

c Psalm 37:11.

4 That is, possess it peaceably; which promise indeed concerns this present life, but especially is here understood that which shall be fulfilled in the life to come. See Psalm 37:11.

6Blesseddare they which do 5hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

d Isa. 55:1.

5 That is, who very earnestly long for and endeavor after the true righteousness in Christ.

7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8Blessedeare the 6pure in heart: for they shall see 7God.

e Psalm 15:2; 24:4; Heb. 12:14.

6 That is, who are purified by the Spirit of God from the defilements of sin, and from all manner of hypocrisy, Eph. 5:26.

7 That is, shall perfectly know Him, and behold His glory, 1 Cor. 13:12.

9Blessed are the 8peacemakers: for they shall be 9called the children of God.

8 Or: peaceable; who not only are peaceable for themselves, but likewise promote peace among others, Heb. 12:14.

9 That is, they shall be so indeed, and be acknowledged for such.

10Blessedfare they which are persecuted 10for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

f 2 Cor. 4:10; 2 Tim. 2:12; 1 Peter 3:14.

10 That is, for the righteous cause of Christ and His doctrine, as in the following verse: for my sake.

11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say 11all 12manner of evil 13against you falsely, forg my sake.

11 That is, all kinds.

12 Gr. evil word.

13 That is, which opposes you, or which is to your disadvantage.

g 1 Peter 4:14.

12Rejoice,h and be exceeding glad: for 14great is your 15reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were 16before you.

h Luke 6:23.

14 Gr. much.

15 Namely, which God promises and shall give you, not of merit, but of grace, Rom. 6:23, for Christ’s sake, 2 Cor. 1:20. Also likewise Mat. 6:1, and elsewhere commonly.

16 That is, before your times, or in former times.

13¶Yei are the 17salt of the earth: but if the salt have 18lost his savour,j wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

i Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34.

17 Teachers are called such, because, as the salt makes the meat savory and preserves it from corruption, they also make the souls of men acceptable to God by their doctrine and preserve them from destruction.

18 That is, loose its saltines, sharpness or virtue.

j taste*

14Ye are the 19light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

19 Because they enlighten others with their doctrine and must also carry a light before them in their lives, 1 Peter 5:3.

15Neitherk do men light a candle, and put it under a 20bushel,l but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

k Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; 11:33.

20 Or, measure.

l NT dry measure (Gr. modios): 2 dry gallons or 8.8 liters*

16Letm your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and 21glorify your Father which is in heaven.

m 1 Peter 2:12.

21 Or, praise and magnify.

17¶Think not that I am come to destroy 22the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to 23fulfil.

22 That is, to alter or to disannul the doctrine of the law or of the prophets.

23 That is, to expound, to observe them, and to accomplish that which was prefigured and foretold.

18For verilyn I say unto you, Tillo heaven and earth 24pass, one 25jot or 26one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

n surely, indeed, truly*

o Luke 16:17.

24 That is, perish or be changed. See Psalm 102:26; Heb. 1:11, and the annotation on 2 Peter 3:10.

25 This is the smallest letter of the Greeks, as jod of the Hebrews. Whereby Christ would say that even the least thing which is written in the law shall not perish.

26 That is, dash of a letter or point.

19Whosoever thereforep shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the 27least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

p James 2:10.

27 That is, shall not at all be esteemed there. Or, shall not enter there into, as is expounded in the following verse.

20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21¶Ye have heard that it was said 28by them of old time, Thouq shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be 29in danger of the judgment:

28 Or, to them of old time. Hereby Christ understands the wrong interpretations of the Scribes and Pharisees, who had so taught for many years before and not the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets. Which appears: I. from the previous verse; II. because doctrines are here confuted, which are not found in Moses and the Prophets; see verse 43; III. because nothing is added by Christ but what is found in Moses and the Prophets, as may be seen by the Scriptural references of the Old Testament, which are found here in the text reference q.

q Exod. 20:13; Deut. 5:17.

29 Or, liable to be punished.

22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother 30without a cause shall be in danger 31of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, 32Raca, shall be in danger of 33the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger 34of hell fire.

30 That is, unjustly or wrongly.

31 Or, sentence; whereby the judges are understood, who punished the murderers in all cities, Deuteronomy 21.

32 This is a Syriac word of reproach, and is as much to say as empty wit or silly head. Others think that it comes from spitting; and others that thereby is expressed a noise which men often make to give thereby to understand their anger, contempt, or reproach against their neighbor, as men commonly use to do by, fie upon you, or the like.

33 This was the highest council in Jerusalem, called the Sanhedrin, which had the judgment of the weightiest matters, and therefore also sentenced the guilty ones the greatest punishments. See Deuteronomy 17 and 2 Chronicles 19.

34 Gr. unto, or in the gehenna of fire. Gehenna comes from the Hebrew words ge Hinnom, that is, the valley of Hinnom, situated near the city of Jerusalem, Joshua 15:8, in which valley the idolatrous Jews in former times caused their children to be burned alive between the burning arms of the brazen image of Moloch. See 2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 7:31. Seeing this was a horrible pain, therefore this word is oftentimes taken for the pains of hell. By these punishments of death, whereof one is greater than the other, Christ shows that all these sins deserve eternal damnation, but that the one shall be punished more grievously than the other in the judgment to come.

23Therefore if thou bring thy gift 35to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

35 This refers to the worship of God under the Old Testament, but is likewise understood of the worship of the New Testament, although in the same there be no such external altars and offerings, Rom. 12:1 and 15:16; Philip. 4:18; Heb. 13:15, 16. Or, offer upon the altar.

24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

2536Agreer with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversarys deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

36 That is, agree or reconcile yourself with him who for debt or otherwise goes to law with you.

r Luke 12:58; Eph. 4:26.

s opponent in law-suit*

26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermostt37farthing.u

t last*

37 Gr. quadrant, that is, which was one of the least coins which was used, worth a little more than a farthing, according to our reckoning.

u about 1/4th of $0.01.

27¶Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thouv shalt not commit adultery:

v Exod. 20:14; Deut. 5:18.

28But I say unto you, That whosoever lookethw on a woman 38to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

w Job 31:1; Psalm 119:37.

38 Namely, unto impurity.

29And ifx thy 39right eye 40offend thee, 41pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

x Mat. 18:8; Mark 9:43.

39 That is, concerning this life, whatever is most precious, acceptable or needful to you.

40 That is, would provoke or cause you to sin.

41 That is, rather put such a thing away from you.

30And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

31It hath been said, Whosoevery shall 42put away his wife, let him give her a 43writing of divorcement:

y Deut. 24:1.

42 That is, whosoever shall divorce himself from his wife.

43 Of this writing of divorcement see Deut. 24:1, etc.; Mal. 2:14 and Mat. 19:7, out of which places it appears that God never approved of rash divorces.

32Butz I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

z Mat. 19:7; Mark 10:4, 11; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10.

33¶Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thouaa shalt not 44forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord 45thine oaths:

aa Exod. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; Deut. 5:11.

44 That is, not swear as such that ye would not keep your oath.

45 That is, pay that which you have promised by oath to God or men.

34But I say unto you, Swearab46not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

ab James 5:12.

46 Namely, neither vainly, or unnecessarily, nor deceitfully, nor by the creatures. For, a right and necessary oath is not forbidden; as may be seen, Rom. 1:9 and 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:23; 11:31; 12:19; Gal. 1:20; Philip. 1:8; 1 Thes. 5:27; Heb. 6:13, 16, 17; Rev. 10:6.

35Nor by the earth; forac it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; forad it is the city of the great King.

ac Isa. 66:1.

ad Psalm 48:2.

36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37But let your communication be, 47Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for 48whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

47 That is, in your daily dealings and ordinary discourse use simple, true and upright words. See James 5:12.

48 That is, that which is added even to superfluity, by vain and unnecessary swearing, or otherwise.

38¶Ye have heard that it hath been said,ae49An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

ae Exod. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21.

49 This law, which was given to the magistrates, was misinterpreted by the Scribes and Pharisees to private revenge, which Christ here reproves in the following words.

39But I say unto you, Thataf ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, 50turn to him the other also.

af Prov. 24:29; Luke 6:29; Rom. 12:17; 1 Cor. 6:7; 1 Thes. 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9.

50 Namely, rather than that you would revenge yourself. For, that this is not simply to be understood appears even from the example of Christ, John 18:23. And as such must also be understood the following two verses.

40And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

41And whosoever shall 51compel thee to go a mile,ag go with him twain.ah

51 In the Greek a Persian word is used, whereby is signified a courier-service, whereunto the subjects were compelled to carry the burdens of the chief couriers, or to lend and drive their asses, etc., for this purpose. The same word is also used in Mat. 27:32.

ag (Gr. milion) Roman mile: 4,986 feet or 1,520 meters

ah two*

42Giveai to him that 52asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

ai Deut. 15:8; Luke 6:35.

52 Or, desires, entreats.

43¶Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thouaj shalt love thy neighbour, and hate 53thine enemy.

aj Lev. 19:18.

53 This phrase is nowhere in God’s law, but the contrary thereof is stated in Deut. 32:35; Prov. 25:21.

44But I say unto you, Loveak your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and prayal for them which despitefully 54use you, and persecute you;

ak Luke 6:27; Rom. 12:20.

al Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor. 4:13; 1 Peter 2:23.

54 Other, reproach you, as the same word is taken in 1 Peter 3:16.

45That ye may 55be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

55 That is, that it may appear that you are.

46Foram if ye 56love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicansan the same?

am Luke 6:32.

56 Namely, only; as it appears from the following verse.

an tax collector*

47And if ye 57salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

57 Or, treat friendly.

48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.