The Life of Jesus

And don't swear by your head, because you can't make a single hair white or black.

Just let your `Yes' be a simple `Yes,' and your `No' a simple `No'; anything more than this has its origin in evil.

"You have heard that our fathers were told, `Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.'

But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too!

If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well!

And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two!

When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.

"You have heard that our fathers were told, `Love your neighbors -- and hate your enemy.'

But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike.

What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that!

And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that!

Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

"Be careful not to parade your acts of tzedakah in front of people in order to be seen by them! If you do, you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

So, when you do tzedakah, don't announce it with trumpets to win people's praise, like the hypocrites in the synagogues and on the streets. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already!

But you, when you do tzedakah, don't even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

Then your tzedakah will be in secret; and your Father, who sees what you do in secret, will reward you.

"When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites, who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on street corners, so that people can see them. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already!

But you, when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

"And when you pray, don't babble on and on like the pagans, who think God will hear them better if they talk a lot.

Don't be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

You, therefore, pray like this: `Our Father in heaven! May your Name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Give us the food we need today.

Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.