Psalm 1; Deuteronomy 8; Matthew 5

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Psalm 1

Book One

The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked

Blessed is the man1

who awalks not in bthe counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in cthe way of sinners,

nor dsits in ethe seat of fscoffers;

but his gdelight is in the law2 of the Lord,

and on his hlaw he meditates day and night.

He is like ia tree

planted by jstreams of water

that yields its fruit in its season,

and its kleaf does not wither.

lIn all that he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,

but are like mchaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked nwill not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in othe congregation of the righteous;

for the Lord pknows qthe way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.


Deuteronomy 8

Remember the Lord Your God

The whole commandment that I command you today vyou shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you wthese forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, xtesting you yto know what was in your heart, zwhether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and alet you hunger and bfed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that cman does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word1 that comes from the mouth of the Lord. dYour clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, eas a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, fa land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, gof vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

11 Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 hlest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 ithen your heart be lifted up, and you jforget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who kled you through the great and terrifying wilderness, lwith its fiery serpents and scorpions mand thirsty ground where there was no water, nwho brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with omanna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, pto do you good in the end. 17 Beware qlest you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for rit is he who gives you power to get wealth, sthat he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, tI solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. 20 Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, uso shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.


Matthew 5

The Sermon on the Mount

Seeing the crowds, ohe went up on the mountain, and when he psat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

And qhe opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

rBlessed are sthe poor in spirit, for utheirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are vthose who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the wmeek, for they wshall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and xthirst yfor righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are zthe merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are athe pure in heart, for bthey shall see God.

Blessed are cthe peacemakers, for dthey shall be called esons1 of God.

10 fBlessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for utheirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 gBlessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely hon my account. 12 iRejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for jso they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

13 You are the salt of the earth, kbut if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

14 lYou are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 mNor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so nthat2 they may see your good works and ogive glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

17 pDo not think that I have come to abolish qthe Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but rto fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, suntil heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 tTherefore whoever relaxes uone of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least vin the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great vin the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds wthat of the scribes and Pharisees, you xwill never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

21 yYou have heard that it was said to those of old, zYou shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable ato judgment. 22 But I say to you that beveryone who is angry with his brother3 will be liable ato judgment; whoever insults4 his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, You fool! will be liable to cthe hell5 of fire. 23 dSo if eyou are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 fCome to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, gyou will never get out until you have paid the last penny.6

Lust

27 hYou have heard that it was said, iYou shall not commit adultery. 28 But I say to you that jeveryone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 kIf your right eye lcauses you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into mhell. 30 kAnd if your right hand lcauses you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into mhell.

Divorce

31 hIt was also said, nWhoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce. 32 oBut I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and pwhoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths

33 Again hyou have heard that it was said to those of old, qYou shall not swear falsely, but rshall perform to the Lord what you have sworn. 34 But I say to you, sDo not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for tit is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is uthe city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply Yes or No; vanything more than this comes from evil.7

Retaliation

38 hYou have heard that it was said, yAn eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I say to you, zDo not resist the one who is evil. But aif anyone bslaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And zif anyone would sue you and take your tunic,8 let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone cforces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 dGive to the one who begs from you, and edo not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

43 fYou have heard that it was said, gYou shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I say to you, iLove your enemies and jpray for those who persecute you, 45 kso that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and lsends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 mFor 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 greet only your brothers,9 what more are you doing than others? Do not even nthe Gentiles do the same? 48 oYou therefore must be pperfect, qas your heavenly Father is perfect.