The Saints Gospel 43

Be Merciful as Your Father Is Merciful

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He came down with them and stood on a level place. There was a large crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of the people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear Him and be healed of their diseases; those troubled by unclean spirits were also healed. The whole crowd sought to touch Him, because power went out from Him and healed everyone. Lifting His eyes toward His disciples, He said, “Blessed are the poor, because yours is God’s kingdom. Blessed are those hungry now, because you will be filled. Blessed are those weeping now, because you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, reproach you, and cast out your name as evil because of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; their fathers treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, because you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled now, because you will hunger. Woe to those laughing now, because you will mourn and weep.

“Woe when all people speak well of you, for their fathers treated the false prophets in the same way.

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you. Offer the other cheek also to the one striking you on the cheek; and from the one taking your cloak, do not withhold your tunic also. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not demand back your belongings from the one who takes them. As you wish people to do to you, do likewise to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to receive the equivalent back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and evil. Become merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Do not judge, and you will certainly not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will certainly not be condemned. Release, and you will be released. Give, and it will be given to you. They will put into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, overflowing; for by the measure you measure, it will be measured back to you.”

He also told them a parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the beam in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. For no good tree produces rotten fruit, nor again does a rotten tree produce good fruit. Each tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs from thorns, nor harvest grapes from a bramble. The good person brings out good from the good treasure of his heart, and the evil person brings out evil from the evil treasure; for his mouth speaks from the heart’s abundance. Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say?

“Everyone who comes to Me, hears My words and does them—I will show you whom he resembles. He resembles a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who heard and did not act resembles a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river burst against it, and immediately it collapsed; the ruin of that house was great.”

← 42 The Narrow Gate and the House on the Rock · The Saints Gospel: all scenes · 44 I Am Willing Be Cleansed →

Saints Translation · The Saints Gospel · a harmony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts 1 · words of Christ in red · working draft awaiting specialist review.