Matthew 5

A New Mountain, and a Greater Law

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The Sermon on the Mountain Begins

5:1Seeing the crowds, He went up the mountain. When He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

5:2He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

The Beatitudes

5:3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.

5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5:5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

5:6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

5:7Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

5:8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

5:9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

5:10Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.

5:11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say every evil thing against you because of Me.

5:12Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for in this way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Salt and Light

5:13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt becomes tasteless, with what will it be salted? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown outside and trampled by people.

5:14You are the light of the world. A city situated on a mountain cannot be hidden.

5:15Nor do people light a lamp and put it under the modius basket, but on the lampstand, and it shines for everyone in the house.

5:16In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.

I Did Not Come to Abolish the Law

5:17Do not suppose that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

5:18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or one stroke will pass from the Law until everything happens.

5:19Therefore, whoever loosens one of these least commandments and teaches people accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.

5:20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of the heavens.

You Shall Not Murder

5:21You heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’

5:22But I tell you that everyone angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘Fool,’ will be liable to the Gehenna of fire.

5:23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

5:24leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

5:25Come to terms quickly with your adversary while you are with him on the way, lest the adversary hand you over to the judge, the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

5:26Truly I tell you, you will certainly not come out from there until you repay the last quadrans.

You Shall Not Commit Adultery

5:27You heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

5:28But I tell you that everyone looking at a woman in order to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

5:29If your right eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna.

5:30And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body go into Gehenna.

Whoever Divorces His Wife

5:31It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’

5:32But I tell you that everyone divorcing his wife, except on account of sexual immorality, causes her to undergo adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

You Shall Not Swear Falsely

5:33Again, you heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’

5:34But I tell you not to swear at all: neither by heaven, because it is God’s throne,

5:35nor by the earth, because it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.

5:36Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

5:37Let your word be ‘Yes, yes,’ or ‘No, no’; what goes beyond these comes from evil.

An Eye for an Eye

5:38You heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

5:39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. Instead, whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.

5:40And to the one wishing to sue you and take your tunic, leave your cloak also.

5:41Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

5:42Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away the one wishing to borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

5:43You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

5:44But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those persecuting you,

5:45so that you may become sons of your Father in the heavens, because He makes His sun rise upon evil and good people and sends rain upon righteous and unrighteous people.

5:46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

5:47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

5:48You, therefore, shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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Where the Church reads this chapter

Occasions as each tradition names them, from published lectionaries and daily-office tables. A reading that spans two passages is listed under both.

5:1–2The Sermon on the Mount11

ACNA

Year A · The Fourth Sunday of Epiphany; Year A · All Saints’ Day

Armenian Apostolic

Tenth day of Eastertide

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Monday; Year Two · The Season after Pentecost · Proper 17 · Sunday

Coptic Orthodox

Toba 7; Bashons 28

Eastern Orthodox

Tuesday of 1st Sunday; Venerable Fathers

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany; Year A · All Saints

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany; Year A · Season after Pentecost · All Saints Day

RCL (daily)

Year A · Easter · Day of Pentecost

Roman Catholic Mass

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Solemnity of All Saints

5:3–12The Beatitudes11

ACNA

Year A · The Fourth Sunday of Epiphany; Year A · All Saints’ Day

Armenian Apostolic

Tenth day of Eastertide

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Monday; Year Two · The Season after Pentecost · Proper 17 · Sunday

Coptic Orthodox

Toba 7; Bashons 28

Eastern Orthodox

Tuesday of 1st Sunday; Venerable Fathers

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany; Year A · All Saints

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany; Year A · Season after Pentecost · All Saints Day

RCL (daily)

Year A · Easter · Day of Pentecost

Roman Catholic Mass

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

5:13–16Salt and Light11

ACNA

Year A · The Fifth Sunday of Epiphany

Armenian Apostolic

Tenth day of Eastertide

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Tuesday; Year Two · The Season after Pentecost · Proper 18 · Sunday

Coptic Orthodox

Toba 7; Bashons 28

Eastern Orthodox

Tuesday of 1st Sunday; Holy Fathers

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (daily)

Year B · Season after Pentecost · Proper 21 (26)

Roman Catholic Mass

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua

5:17–20The Fulfillment of the Law11

ACNA

Year A · The Fifth Sunday of Epiphany

Armenian Apostolic

Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple; Remembrance of the Old Ark and the Feast of the New Holy Church

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Tuesday; Year Two · The Season after Pentecost · Proper 18 · Sunday

Coptic Orthodox

Wednesday of the second week of Great Lent

Eastern Orthodox

Holy Fathers; Wednesday of 1st Sunday

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (daily)

Year B · Season after Pentecost · Proper 21 (26)

Roman Catholic Mass

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Friday of the First Week of Lent

5:21–26Anger and Reconciliation11

ACNA

Year A · The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany

Armenian Apostolic

Eleventh day of Eastertide; Second Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of the Expulsion

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Wednesday; Year One · The Season after Pentecost · Proper 20 · Monday

Coptic Orthodox

Saturday of the first week of Great Lent; Wednesday of the second week of Great Lent

Eastern Orthodox

Wednesday of 1st Sunday

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Roman Catholic Mass

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Friday of the First Week of Lent

Syriac / Malankara

Seventh Sunday after the Festival of the Holy Cross, 1 November 2026

5:27–30Adultery11

ACNA

Year A · The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany

Armenian Apostolic

Eleventh day of Eastertide; Second Sunday of Great Lent

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Thursday; Year Two · Easter · Week of 4 Easter · Friday

Coptic Orthodox

Saturday of the first week of Great Lent

Eastern Orthodox

Thursday of 1st Sunday

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (daily)

Year B · Season after Pentecost · Proper 22 (27)

Roman Catholic Mass

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

5:31–32Divorce11

ACNA

Year A · The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany

Armenian Apostolic

Eleventh day of Eastertide; Second Sunday of Great Lent

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Thursday; Year Two · Easter · Week of 4 Easter · Friday

Coptic Orthodox

Saturday of the first week of Great Lent

Eastern Orthodox

Thursday of 1st Sunday

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (daily)

Year B · Season after Pentecost · Proper 22 (27)

Roman Catholic Mass

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

5:33–37Oaths and Vows11

ACNA

Year A · The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany

Armenian Apostolic

Eleventh day of Eastertide; Second Sunday of Great Lent

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Thursday; Year Two · Easter · Week of 4 Easter · Friday

Coptic Orthodox

Saturday of the first week of Great Lent; The fourth Sunday of Paona

Eastern Orthodox

Friday of 1st Sunday

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (daily)

Year B · Season after Pentecost · Proper 22 (27)

Roman Catholic Mass

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

5:38–48Love Your Enemies11

ACNA

Year A · The Seventh Sunday of Epiphany; Independence Day

Armenian Apostolic

Eleventh day of Eastertide; Second Sunday of Great Lent

BCP Daily Office

Year One · Epiphany · Week of 7 Epiphany · Friday; Year One · The Season after Pentecost · Proper 20 · Wednesday

Coptic Orthodox

Saturday of the first week of Great Lent; The fourth Sunday of Paona

Eastern Orthodox

Friday of 1st Sunday; 1st Saturday after Pentecost

Ethiopian Orthodox

April 9; February 22

Lutheran

One Year · Ash Wednesday; One Year · Trinity 6

RCL

Year A · Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (Sunday)

Year A · Epiphany · Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany

RCL (daily)

Year C · Season after Pentecost · Proper 12 (17)

Roman Catholic Mass

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time; Saturday of the First Week of Lent

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.