King James Version

The Book of Matthew

Return to Index Henry's Commentary
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a 1mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he 1opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 1Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that 1mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the 1meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and 1thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the 1merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the 1pure in heart: for they shall 2see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the 1children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are 1persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the 1prophets which were before you.
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the 1salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Ye are the 1light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a 1candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so 1shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to 1fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the 1law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least 1commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach 2them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your 1righteousness shall exceed the arighteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, 1Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
1 Exod 20:13, Deut 5:17
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the 1council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of 2,ahell bfire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be 1reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 Agree with thine 1adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 1Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, 1Thou shalt not commit adultery:
1 Exod 20:14, Deut 5:18
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to 1lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his 2heart.
29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck 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 1,ahell.
30 And 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 1,ahell.
31 It hath been said, 1Whosoever shall 2put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall 1put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not 1forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
34 But I say unto you, 1Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's 2throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his 1footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the 2city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of 1evil.a
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, 1An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
1 Exod 21:24 Lev 24:20, Dt 19:21
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall 1smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 1Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, 1Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and 2hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your 1enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the 1children 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.
46 For if ye 1love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore 1perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Lev 19:2, Deut 18:13, 2nd Cor 7:1, Phil 3:15
Notes on Chapter 5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 (a) "righteousness" = obedience to God's Law.
Return to Verse 20
21
22 (a) "hell" = gehenna
Strongs #1067 - geena - of Hebrew origin from 1516 (Heb. "gah'ee" - a narrow gorge) and 2011 (Heb. "Hinnom, a Jebusite Josh 15:8, Josh 18:16), a valley in Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place of destruction.
Verses that use "gehenna":
Matt 5:22, Matt 5:29, Matt 5:30, Matt 10:28, Matt 18:9, Matt 23:15, Matt 23:33, Mark 9:43, Mark 9:45, Mark 9:47, Luke 12:5, Jas 3:6

See notes on "hades" at Matt 11:23 (b) "fire" = pur
Strongs #4442 "pur"- a primary word = "fire".
Return to Verse 22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29 (a) "hell" = gehenna
See notes at Matt 5:22
Return to Verse 29
30 (a) "hell" = gehenna
See notes at Matt 5:22
Return to Verse 30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37 (a) "evil" = "the wicked one"
Return to Verse 37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48