By Rev. Martha Dye
[ Matthew 5:21-37 NASB20 ] 21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MURDER,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty [enough to go] into the fiery hell. 23 “Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
25 “Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way [to court,] so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last quadrans. 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 “Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your [body,] than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 “And if your right hand is causing you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your [body,] than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 “Now it was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY IS TO GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’; 32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for [the] reason of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ 34 “But I say to you, take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36 “Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 “But make sure your statement is, ‘Yes, yes’ [or] ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil [origin.]
“Permissions.” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 13 March, 2023.