The Life of Jesus

nor by thy head mayest thou swear, because thou art not able one hair to make white or black;

but let your word be, Yes, Yes, No, No, and that which is more than these is of the evil.

`Ye heard that it was said: Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth;

but I--I say to you, not to resist the evil, but whoever shall slap thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other;

and whoever is willing to take thee to law, and thy coat to take--suffer to him also the cloak.

`And whoever shall impress thee one mile, go with him two,

to him who is asking of thee be giving, and him who is willing to borrow from thee thou mayest not turn away.

`Ye heard that it was said: Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and shalt hate thine enemy;

but I--I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you,

that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.

`For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same?

and if ye may salute your brethren only, what do ye abundant? do not also the tax-gatherers so?

ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who is in the heavens is perfect.

`Take heed your kindness not to do before men, to be seen by them, and if not--reward ye have not from your Father who is in the heavens;

whenever, therefore, thou mayest do kindness, thou mayest not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory from men; verily I say to you--they have their reward!

`But thou, doing kindness, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth,

that thy kindness may be in secret, and thy Father who is seeing in secret Himself shall reward thee manifestly.

`And when thou mayest pray, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, because they love in the synagogues, and in the corners of the broad places--standing--to pray, that they may be seen of men; verily I say to you, that they have their reward.

`But thou, when thou mayest pray, go into thy chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who is seeing in secret, shall reward thee manifestly.

`And--praying--ye may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard,

be ye not therefore like to them, for your Father doth know those things that ye have need of before your asking him;

thus therefore pray ye: `Our Father who art in the heavens! hallowed be Thy name.

`Thy reign come: Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on the earth.

`Our appointed bread give us to-day.

`And forgive us our debts, as also we forgive our debtors.