- And Jesus departed into Galilee, and leaving Nazareth in Zebulun, he came and dwelled in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast in the borders of Nephthalim, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Nephthalim, in the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles; the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and unto them that sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up. From that time, Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
- And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren (Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother) casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And he said unto them, I am he of whom it is written by the prophets; follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they, believing on his words, left their nets and immediately followed him. And going on from there, he saw two other brethren (Jacob, and John his brother, the sons of Zebedee) in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And he called them. And they immediately left their father in the ship and followed him.
- And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people who believed on his name. And his fame went throughout all Syria. And they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those who were possessed with devils, and those who were lunatic, and those that had the palsy, and he healed them.
- And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and Decapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and beyond Jordan; and Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up into a mountain. And when he was seated, his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are they who shall believe on me. And again, more blessed are they who shall believe on your words when you shall testify that you have seen me and that I am.
- Yea, blessed are they who shall believe on your words, and come down into the depths of humility, and be baptized in my name, for they shall be visited with fire and with the holy ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.
- Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
- And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
- And blessed are all they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the holy ghost.
- And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
- And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
- And blessed are all they that are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
- And blessed are you when men shall revile you, and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake, for you shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in Heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.
- Truly, truly I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth. But if the salt shall lose its savor, with what shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be, from then on, good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot of men.
- Truly, truly I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it gives light to all that are in the house. Therefore, let your light so shine before this world, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.
- Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill; for truly I say unto you, heaven and earth must pass away, but one jot or one tittle shall by no means pass from the law till all shall be fulfilled. Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so to do, he shall by no means be saved in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach these commandments of the law until it shall be fulfilled, the same shall be called great and shall be saved in the kingdom of Heaven. For I say unto you, except your righteousness shall exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
- You have heard that it has been said by them of old time that you shall not kill, and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God. But I say unto you that whoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, or Rabcha, shall be in danger of the council. And whoever shall say to his brother, You fool, shall be in danger of hellfire.
- Therefore, if you shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, or if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way unto your brother, and first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
- Agree with your adversary quickly while you are in the way with him, lest at any time your adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you should be cast into prison. Truly I say unto you, you shall by no means come out from there until you have paid the utmost farthing.
- Behold, it is written by them of old time that you shall not commit adultery. But I say unto you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Behold, I give unto you a commandment that you suffer none of these things to enter into your heart; for it is better that you should deny yourselves of these things, wherein you will take up your cross, than that you should be cast into hell.
- Wherefore, if your right eye offend you, pluck it out and cast it from yourself; for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. Or if your right hand offend you, cut it off and cast it from yourself; for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. And now this I speak, a parable concerning your sins; wherefore, cast them from you that you may not be hewn down and cast into the fire.
- It has been written that whoever shall divorce his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. Truly, truly I say unto you that whoever shall divorce his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery.
- Again, it has been written by them of old time: You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths. But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by Heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatever is more than these comes of evil.
- You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you that you resist not evil, but whoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue you at the law and take away your coat, let him have it. And if he sue you again, let him have your cloak also. And whoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him a mile, and whoever shall compel you to go with him two, you shall go with him two. Give to him that asks of you; and from him that would borrow of you, turn not away.
- You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who falsely accuse you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven; for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love only them who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the publicans the same? You are therefore commanded to be perfect, even as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect.
- And it came to pass as Jesus taught his disciples, he said unto them, Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise, you have no reward of your Father who is in Heaven. Therefore, when you do alms, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Truly I say unto you, they have their reward. But when you do alms, let it be unto you as your left hand not knowing what your right hand does, that your alms may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret himself shall reward you openly.
- And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. For truly I say unto you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your closet. And when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly. But when you pray, use not vain repetitions as the hypocrites, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Therefore, be not like unto them, for your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask him. Therefore, after this manner you shall pray, saying:
- Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth, as it is done in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us. And suffer us not to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
- For if you forgive men their trespasses who trespass against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses.
- Moreover, when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Truly I say unto you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that you appear not unto men to fast, but unto your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
- Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust do corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
- The light of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye should be single to the glory of God, your whole body shall be full of light. But if your eye should be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light which is in you should be darkness, how great shall that darkness be.
- No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
- And again I say unto you, go into the world and care not for the world, for the world will hate you, and will persecute you, and will turn you out of their synagogues. Nevertheless, you shall go forth from house to house teaching the people, and I will go before you. And your Heavenly Father will provide for you whatever things you need, for food and what you shall eat, and for raiment, what you shall wear or put on.
- Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than food and the body more than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they? How much more will he not feed you?
- Wherefore, take no thought for these things, but keep my commandments with which I have commanded you. For who of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why do you take thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field — which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven — how much more will he not provide for you, if you are not of little faith?
- Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, what shall we drink? Or, with what shall we be clothed? Why is it that you murmur among yourselves, saying, We cannot obey your word, because you have not all these things, and seek to excuse yourselves, saying that after all these things do the gentiles seek? Behold, I say unto you that your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
- Wherefore, seek not the things of this world, but seek first to build up the kingdom of God and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day shall be the evil thereof.
- Now these are the words which Jesus taught his disciples that they should say unto the people: Judge not unrighteously, that you be not judged, but judge righteous judgment; for with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged, and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
- And again, you shall say unto them, Why is it that you behold the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the speck, out of your eye, and cannot behold a beam in your own eye? And Jesus said unto his disciples, Do you behold the scribes, and the Pharisees, and the priests, and the Levites? They teach in their synagogues, but do not observe the law nor the commandments, and all have gone out of the way and are under sin. Go and say unto them, Why do you teach men the law and the commandments when you yourselves are the children of corruption? Say unto them, You hypocrites, first cast out the beam out of your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to cast out the speck, out of your brother’s eye.
- Go into the world, saying unto all, Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven has come near unto you. And the mysteries of the kingdom you shall keep within yourselves, for it is not meet to give that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls unto swine, lest they trample them under their feet; for the world cannot receive that which you yourselves are not able to bear. Wherefore, you shall not give your pearls unto them, lest they return and rend you. Say unto them, Ask of God. Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you; for everyone that asks, receives; and he that seeks, finds; and to him that knocks, it shall be opened.
- And then said his disciples unto him, They will say unto us, We ourselves are righteous and need not that any man should teach us. God, we know, heard Moses and some of the prophets, but us he will not hear. And they will say, We have the law for our salvation and that is sufficient for us.
- Then Jesus answered and said unto his disciples, Thus shall you say unto them: What man among you, having a son — and he shall be standing out and shall say, Father, open your house that I may come in and eat with you — will he not say, Come in my son, for mine are yours and yours are mine? Or what man is there among you who, if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give good things unto them that ask him? Therefore, all things whatsoever you desire that men should do to you, do even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.
- Repent therefore and enter in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat, because strait is the gate and narrow the way that leads unto life, and few there are that find it.
- And again, beware of false prophets that come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. For do men gather grapes of thorns? Or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them.
- Truly I say unto you, it is not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. For the day soon comes that men shall come before me to judgment, to be judged according to their works. And many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name have cast out devils, and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I say unto them, You never knew me. Depart from me, you that work iniquity.
- Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man who built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them not shall be likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
- And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings with his disciples, the people were astonished at his teachings, for he taught them as one having authority from God and not as having authority from the scribes.
Chapter 3