You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its savor, with what shall the earth be salted? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out, and to be trodden underfoot by men.1
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. [When you are translated into the kingdom of God, when you share in the inheritance of the saints in the light to become a child of the light, then God will have made you to be a guiding light to the world, and through you, he will show the world the wisdom, love, and power of God.]
15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17 Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, in no way shall one letter or one stroke pass from the law, until it is all fulfilled.
19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so, will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them, the same will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [See, Rom 3:31, and James 1:21-25]
20 For I say that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21 You have heard that it was said to them of old, 'You shall not kill, and whoever kills shall be in danger of the judgment.'
22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother will be in danger of the judgment;2 and whoever says to his brother, 'Raca,' [in contempt] shall be in danger of the council; but he who says, 'you fool,' shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and remember that your brother has something against you;
24 Leave your gift there before the altar and go your way; and first be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift.
25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him; lest at any time the adversary delivers you to the judge, and the judge delivers you to the officer, and you are cast into prison.
26 Truly I say that you shall by no means come out, until you have paid the last penny.
27 You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
28 But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman with lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.3
29 If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your body parts should perish, rather than your whole body should be cast into hell;4 [pluck out the eye that looks on a woman with lust, committing adultery].
30 And if your right hand offends you, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your body parts should perish, rather than that your whole body should be cast into hell.
31 It has been said that whoever puts away his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.
32 But I say to you that whoever puts away [divorces] his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.
33 Again, you have heard that it has been said to those of old, 'You shall not perjure yourself, but you shall perform your oaths to the Lord.'
34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;
35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
37 But let your 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no,' 'no;' for whatever is more than these comes from the evil one5 [the spirit of Satan within you].
38 You have heard that it has been said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'
39 But I say to you, do not resist evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other cheek to him also.
40 And if any man sues you at the law, and takes away your shirt, let him have your coat also.
41 And whoever asks you to go one mile, go with him two miles. [go the extra mile]
42 Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away from him who would borrow from you.
43 You have heard that it has been said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you;
45 So that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do than others? Do not even the tax collectors [or thieves] do the same?
48 Therefore, be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect."6 [Only the power of God can change a man to be perfect, and the completion of His perfection process of you is when Jesus appears to bruise the head of the Satan under your feet. Rom 16:20. We must be righteous as He is righteous, 1 John 3:7. We must be merciful as He is merciful, Luke 6:36. We must become pure as He is pure. 1 John 3:3. But as he who has called you is holy, so you be holy in all manner of conduct, 1 Pet 1:15. So that we walk as he walked, 1 John 2:6, and as he is, so are we in this present world. 1 John 4:17. There is no flexibility and no equivocation in any of these stated requirements.]
