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5:1Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons [1]of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but 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 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor 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 that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother [2]will be liable to judgment; whoever insults [3]his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell [4]of fire. 23 So if you 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 Come 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, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. [5]
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 lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes 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 hell. 30 And if your right hand causes 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 hell.
31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the 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’; anything more than this comes from evil. [6]
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, [7] let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so 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 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 greet only your brothers, [8]what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (ESV)
[1] 5:9 Greek huioi; see preface [2] 5:22 Some manuscripts insert without cause[3] 5:22 Greek says Raca to(a term of abuse)[4] 5:22 Greek Gehenna; also verses 29, 30[5] 5:26 Greek kodrantes, Roman copper coin (Latinquadrans) worth about 1/64 of a denarius(which was a day's wage for a laborer)[6] 5:37 Or the evil one [7]5:40 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin[8] 5:47 Or brothers and sisters. The plural Greek word adelphoi(translated “brothers”) refers to siblings in a family. In New Testament usage, depending on the context,adelphoi may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
Introduction to the ESV
"This Book (is) the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; this is the royal Law; these are the lively Oracles of God." With these words the Moderator of the Church of Scotland in the British Coronation service hands the new monarch a Bible. What he says expresses what the translation team of the English Standard Version wishes to tell the world.Here, we would say, is the Word of God, true and trustworthy, infallible and inerrant in its facts and its teaching, adequate and authoritative for faith and practice in all aspects of one's relationship with God.Here is the Word of wisdom and eternal life, which proceeded from God, which proclaims God, and which will point its readers to God.Here is the Word of witness through which the Holy Spirit of God makes known the reality and power and grace of Jesus Christ.The Bible excites us, because its Triune God excites us; our prayer for this version is that it will bring similar excitement to all to whom it comes.
Story of the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible
The English Standard Version (ESV) stands in the classic mainstream of English Bible translations of the past half-millennium. The fountainhead of that stream was William Tyndale's New Testament of 1526; marking its course were the King James Version of 1611 (KJV), the Revised Version of 1885 (RV), the American Standard Version of 1901 (ASV), and the Revised Standard Version of 1952 and 1971 (RSV). In that stream, faithfulness to the text and vigorous pursuit of accuracy were combined with simplicity, beauty, and dignity of expression. Our goal has been to carry forward this legacy for a new century.To this end each word and phrase in the ESV has been carefully weighed against the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, to ensure the fullest accuracy and clarity and to avoid under-translating or overlooking any nuance of the original text. The words and phrases themselves grow out of this Tyndale-King James legacy. Archaic language has been brought to current usage and significant corrections have been made in the translation of key texts. But throughout, our goal has been to retain the depth of meaning and enduring language that have made their indelible mark on the English-speaking world and have defined the life and doctrine of the church over the last four centuries.
Translation Philosophy
The ESV is an "essentially literal" translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. As such, its emphasis is on "word-for-word" correspondence, at the same time taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.In contrast to the ESV, some Bible versions have followed a "thought-for-thought" rather than "word-for-word" translation philosophy, emphasizing "dynamic equivalence" rather than the "essentially literal" meaning of the original. A "thought-for-thought" translation is of necessity more inclined to reflect the interpretive opinions of the translator and the influences of contemporary culture.Every translation is at many points a trade-off between literal precision and read-ability, between "formal equivalence" in expression and "functional equivalence" in communication, and the ESV is no exception. Within this framework we have sought to be "as literal as possible" while maintaining clarity of expression and literary excellence. Therefore, to the extent that plain English permits and the meaning in each case allows, we have sought to use the same English word for important recurring words in the original; and, as far as grammar and syntax allow, we have rendered Old Testament passages cited in the New in ways that show their correspondence. Thus in each of these areas, as well as throughout the Bible as a whole, we have sought to capture the echoes and overtones of meaning that are so abundantly present in the original texts. As an essentially literal translation, then, the ESV seeks to carry over every possible nuance of meaning in the original words of Scripture into our own language. As such, it is ideally suited for in-depth study of the Bible. Indeed, with its emphasis on literary excellence, the ESV is equally suited for public reading and preaching, for private reading and reflection, for both academic and devotional study, and for Scripture memorization.Translation Style
The ESV also carries forward classic translation principles in its literary style. Accordingly it retains theological terminology--words such as grace, faith, justification, sanctification, redemption, regeneration, reconciliation, propitiation--because of their central importance for Christian doctrine and also because the underlying Greek words were already becoming key words and technical terms in New Testament times.The ESV lets the stylistic variety of the biblical writers fully express itself--from the exalted prose that opens Genesis, to the flowing narratives of the historical books, to the rich metaphors and dramatic imagery of the poetic books, to the ringing rhetorical indictments in the prophetic books, to the smooth elegance of Luke, to the profound simplicities of John, and the closely-reasoned logic of Paul.In punctuating, paragraphing, dividing long sentences, and rendering connectives, the ESV follows the path that seems to make the ongoing flow of thought clearest in English. The biblical languages regularly connect sentences by frequent repetition of words such as "and," "but," and "for," in a way that goes beyond the conventions of literary English. Effective translation, however, requires that these links in the original be reproduced so that the flow of the argument will be transparent to the reader. We have therefore normally translated these connectives, though occasionally we have varied the rendering by using alternatives (such as "also," "however," "now," "so," "then," or "thus") when they better capture the sense in specific instances.In the area of gender language, the goal of the ESV is to render literally what is in the original. For example, "anyone" replaces "any man" where there is no word corresponding to "man" in the original languages, and "people" rather than "men" is regularly used where the original languages refer to both men and women. But the words "man" and "men" are retained where a male meaning component is part of the original Greek or Hebrew. Similarly, the English word "brothers" (translating the Greek word adelphoi) is retained as an important familial form of address between fellow-Jews and fellow-Christians in the first century. A recurring note is included to indicate that the term "brothers" (adelphoi) was often used in Greek to refer to both men and women, and to indicate the specific instances in the text where this is the case. In addition, the English word "sons" (translating the Greek word huioi) is retained in specific instances because of its meaning as a legal term in the adoption and inheritance laws of first-century Rome. As used by the apostle Paul, this term refers to the status of all Christians, both men and women, who, having been adopted into God's family, now enjoy all the privileges, obligations, and inheritance rights of God's children.The inclusive use of the generic "he" has also regularly been retained, because this is consistent with similar usage in the original languages and because an essentially literal translation would be impossible without it. Similarly, where God and man are compared or contrasted in the original, the ESV retains the generic use of "man" as the clearest way to express the contrast within the framework of essentially literal translation.In each case the objective has been transparency to the original text, allowing the reader to understand the original on its own terms rather than on the terms of our present-day culture.Textual Basis
The ESV is based on the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible as found in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (2nd ed., 1983), and on the Greek text in the 1993 editions of the Greek New Testament (4th corrected ed.), published by the United Bible Societies (UBS), and Novum Testamentum Graece (27th ed.), edited by Nestle and Aland. The currently renewed respect among Old Testament scholars for the Masoretic text is reflected in the ESV's attempt, wherever possible, to translate difficult Hebrew passages as they stand in the Masoretic text rather than resorting to emendations or to finding an alternative reading in the ancient versions.In exceptional, difficult cases, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint, the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Syriac Peshitta, the Latin Vulgate, and other sources were consulted to shed possible light on the text, or, if necessary, to support a divergence from the Masoretic text. Similarly, in a few difficult cases in the New Testament, the ESV has followed a Greek text different from the text given preference in the UBS/Nestle-Aland 27th edition. In this regard the footnotes that accompany the ESV text are an integral part of the ESV translation, informing the reader of textual variations and difficulties and showing how these have been resolved by the ESV translation team. In addition to this, the footnotes indicate significant alternative readings and occasionally provide an explanation for technical terms or for a difficult reading in the text. Throughout, the translation team has benefited greatly from the massive textual resources that have become readily available recently, from new insights into biblical laws and culture, and from current advances in Hebrew and Greek lexicography and grammatical understanding.
Translation Team
The ESV publishing team includes more than 100 people. The fourteen-member Translation Oversight Committee has benefited from the work of more than fifty biblical experts serving as Translation Review Scholars and from the comments of more than fifty members of the Advisory Council, all of which has been carried out under the auspices of the Good News-Crossway Board of Directors. This 100-member team, which is international and represents many denominations, shares a commitment to historic evangelical orthodoxy, and to the authority and sufficiency of the inerrant Scriptures.Also on the translation team:Translation Oversight CommitteeAdvisory CouncilNote: The positions listed below reflect the positions held during the translation process. They may have since changed.ESV Translation Review ScholarsThe following people comprise the team of more than fifty Translation Review Scholars. The Translation Review Scholars are an international team from many denominations who were chosen to review selected books of the Old or New Testament in conjunction with the Translation Oversight Committee, based on their special expertise in the original languages and specific books of the Bible.Dr. T. D. AlexanderDirector of the Christian Training CentreUnion Theological College BelfastB.A., The Queen's University of BelfastPh.D., The Queen's University of BelfastDr. Clinton E. ArnoldProfessor of New Testament Language and LiteratureTalbot School of TheologyB.A., Biola UniversityM.Div., Talbot Theological SeminaryPh.D., University of AberdeenDr. William D. BarrickProfessor of Old TestamentThe Master's SeminaryB.A., Denver Baptist Bible CollegeM.Div., San Francisco Theological SeminaryTh.M., San Francisco Theological SeminaryTh.D., Grace Theological SeminaryDr. Hans F. BayerAssociate Professor of New TestamentCovenant SeminaryM.A., Ashland Theological SeminaryM.Div., Ashland Theological SeminaryPh.D., University of AberdeenDr. Gregory BealeProfessor of New TestamentWheaton CollegeB.A., Southern Methodist UniversityM.A., Southern Methodist UniversityTh.M., Dallas Theological SeminaryPh.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. Ronald BergeyProfesseur d'Hébreu et d'Ancient TestamentFaculté libre de Théologie réformée Aix-en-Provence, FranceB.S., Philadelphia College of BibleM.A., Jerusalem UniversityPh.D., Dropsie UniversityDr. Daniel I. BlockJohn R. Sampey Professor of Old Testament InterpretationThe Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryB.Ed., University of SaskatchewanB.A., University of SaskatchewanM.A., Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolPh.D., University of LiverpoolDr. Craig L. BlombergProfessor of New TestamentDenver SeminaryB.A., Augustana CollegeM.A., Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolPh.D., University of AberdeenDr. Darrell L. BockResearch Professor of New Testament StudiesDallas Theological SeminaryB.A., University of Texas at AustinTh.M., Dallas Theological SeminaryPh.D., University of AberdeenDr. Irvin A. BusenitzVice President for Academic AdministrationProfessor of Bible Exposition and Old TestamentThe Master's Seminary B.A., Grace College of the BibleM.Div., Talbot Theological SeminaryTh.M., Talbot Theological SeminaryTh.D., Grace Theological SeminaryMr. Edward E. ChandlerPh.D. (cand.)Catholic University of AmericaM. Div., Covenant SeminaryDr. Daniel L. GardDean of Graduate StudiesConcordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, INB.A., Carthage CollegeM.Div., Concordia Theological SeminaryM.A., University of Notre DamePh.D., University of Notre DameDr. Robert P. GordonRegius Professor of HebrewCambridge UniversityM.A., Cambridge UniversityPh.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. Gene L. GreenAssociate Professor of New TestamentWheaton CollegeB.A., Wheaton CollegeM.A., Wheaton College Graduate SchoolPh.D., University of AberdeenDr. Michael GrisantiAssociate Professor of Old TestamentThe Master's SeminaryB.A., Pillsbury Baptist Bible CollegeM.Div., Central Baptist Theological SeminaryTh.M., Central Baptist Theological SeminaryPh.D., Dallas Theological SeminaryDr. George H. GuthrieAssociate Professor of Christian StudiesUnion UniversityB.A., Union UniversityM.Div., Southwestern Baptist Theological SeminaryTh.M., Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolPh.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological SeminaryDr. Scott J. HafemannProfessor, Hawthorne Chair of New Testament Greek and ExegesisWheaton CollegeB.A., Bethel CollegeM.A., Fuller Theological SeminaryDr. Theol., University of TübingenDr. Charles D. Harvey[current position not on file]B.A., Taylor UniversityM.Div., Reformed Theological SeminaryPh.D., University of EdinburghDr. Richard S. HessProfessor of Old TestamentDenver SeminaryB.A., Wheaton CollegeM.Div., Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolTh.M., Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolPh.D., Hebrew Union CollegeDr. Harold W. HoehnerSenior Professor of New Testament StudiesDallas Theological SeminaryB.A., Barrington CollegeTh.M., Dallas Theological SeminaryTh.D., Dallas Theological SeminaryPh.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. David M. HowardJr. Professor of Old Testament and HebrewNew Orleans Baptist Theological SeminaryB.S., Geneva CollegeM.A., Wheaton CollegePh.D., University of MichiganDr. Gordon P. HugenbergerSenior PastorPark Street Church, Boston, MAB.A., Harvard UniversityM.Div., Gordon-Conwell Theological SeminaryPh.D., College of St. Paul and St. MaryDr. Philip JohnstonProfessor of Old TestamentWycliff Hall, UKB.A., University of CambridgeB.D., Queen's University, BelfastM.Th., Queen's University, BelfastPh.D., University of CambridgeDr. Reggie McReynolds KiddAssociate Professor of New TestamentReformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, FLB.A., College of William and MaryM.A.R., Westminster Theological SeminaryM.Div., Westminster Theological SeminaryPh.D., Duke UniversityDr. Nobuyoshi KiuchiProfessor of Old TestamentTokyo Christian UniversityB.A., Tokyo University of Foreign StudiesPh.D., The Council for National Academic AwardsDr. Andreas J. KöstenbergerAssociate Professor of New TestamentSoutheastern Baptist Theological SeminaryMag. et Dr. rer. soc. oec., Vienna University of EconomicsM.Div., Columbia Biblical SeminaryPh.D., Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolDr. V. Philips LongProfessor of Old TestamentRegent CollegeB.A., Wheaton CollegeM.Div., Gordon-Conwell Theological SeminaryPh.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. Ernest LucasProfessor of Old TestamentBristol Baptist CollegeM.A., Regent's Park CollegePh.D., University of LiverpoolDr. Dennis R. MagaryAssociate Professor of Old Testament and Semitic LanguagesTrinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolB.A., Fort Wayne Bible CollegeM.Div., Trinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolM.A., University of Wisconsin-MadisonPh.D., University of Wisconsin-MadisonDr. Walter A. Maier, IIIProfessor of Old TestamentConcordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, INB.A., Concordia CollegeM.Div., Concordia Theological SeminaryM.A., Harvard UniversityPh.D., Harvard UniversityDr. J. Gordon McConvilleProfessor of Old TestamentCheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher EducationB.A., Cambridge UniversityM.A., University of EdinburghPh.D., The Queen's University of BelfastDr. Christopher MitchellTheological EditorConcordia Publishing HouseB.S., University of Wisconsin-MadisonM.A., University of Wisconsin-MadisonM.Div., Concordia SeminaryPh.D., University of Wisconsin-MadisonDr. Leon MorrisFormer Principal of Ridley CollegeMelbourne, AustraliaB.Sc., Sydney UniversityTh.L., Australian College of TheologyB.D., London UniversityM.Th., [university not on file]Th.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. Russell NelsonProfessor of Religious StudiesDivision ChairConcordia University College of AlbertaB.A., Concordia Senior CollegeM.Div., Concordia Seminary in Exile, St. LouisPh.D., Harvard UniversityDr. Raymond Ortlund, Jr.PastorFirst Presbyterian Church, Augusta, GAB.A., Wheaton CollegeTh.M., Dallas Theological SeminaryM.A., University of California-BerkeleyPh.D., University of AberdeenDr. Douglas A. OssPastorCapital Christian Center, Salt Lake City, UTB.A., Western Washington UniversityM.Div., Assemblies of God Theological SeminaryPh.D., Westminster Theological SeminaryDr. John N. OswaltResearch Professor of Old TestamentWesley Biblical SeminaryB.A., Taylor UniversityB.D., Asbury Theological SeminaryTh.M., Asbury Theological SeminaryM.A., Brandeis UniversityPh.D., Brandeis UniversityDr. Iain ProvanMarshall Sheppard Professor of Biblical StudiesRegent CollegeB.A., London Bible CollegeM.A., Glasgow UniversityPh.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. Paul R. RaabeProfessor of Exegetical TheologyConcordia Seminary, St. Louis, MOB.S., Concordia Teachers CollegeM.Div., Concordia Theological SeminaryM.A., Washington UniversityPh.D., University of MichiganDr. Thomas RenzProfessor of Old TestamentOak Hill Theological College-London, UKM.Div. (equivalent), Freie Theologische Akademie, Giessen, GermanyPh.D., Bristol UniversityMr. Max RoglandPh.D. (cand.) Leiden UniversityB.A., B.Mus., University of WashingtonM.Div., Covenant Theological SeminaryDr. Allen RossFormer Professor of Old TestamentTrinity Episcopal School for MinistryTh.D., Dallas SeminaryPh.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. Thomas R. SchreinerProfessor of New Testament InterpretationThe Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryB.S., Western Oregon UniversityM.Div., Western Conservative Baptist SeminaryTh.M., Western Conservative Baptist SeminaryPh.D., Fuller Theological SeminaryDr. Moises SilvaB.A., Bob Jones UniversityB.D., Westminster Theological SeminaryTh.M., Westminster Theological SeminaryPh.D., University of ManchesterDr. Frank S. ThielmanAssociate Professor of DivinityBeeson Divinity SchoolB.A., Wheaton CollegeB.A., Cambridge UniversityM.A., Cambridge UniversityPh.D., Duke UniversityDr. Willem A. VanGemerenProfessor of Old Testament and Semitic StudiesDirector of the Ph.D. in Theological StudiesTrinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolDiploma, Moody Bible InstituteB.A., University of Illinois, ChicagoB.D., Westminster Theological SeminaryM.A., University of WisconsinPh.D., University of WisconsinDr. James W. VoelzProfessor of Exegetical TheologyConcordia Seminary, St. Louis, MOA.A., Concordia CollegeB.A., Concordia Senior CollegeM.Div, Concordia Theological SeminaryPh.D., Cambridge UniversityDr. Dean O. WenthePresidentConcordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, INB.A., Concordia Senior CollegeM.A., University of Notre DameM.Div., Concordia SeminaryTh.M., Princeton Theological SeminaryPh.D., University of Notre DameDr. Walter W. WesselFormer Professor of New TestamentBethel Seminary-WestB.A., UCLAM.A., UCLAPh.D., University of EdinburghDr. Robert W. YarbroughAssociate Professor of New TestamentTrinity Evangelical Divinity SchoolB.A., Southwest Baptist CollegeM.A., Wheaton College Graduate SchoolPh.D., University of Aberdeen