Section IX.

[1] 612Ye have heard also that it was said unto the ancients, Lie not, but perform unto [2] God in thy oaths:  613but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it [3] is God’s throne; 614nor by the earth, for it is a footstool under his feet; nor yet by [4] Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great615 King.  616Neither shalt thou swear by thy [5] head, for thou canst not make in it one lock of hair black or white.  617But your word shall be either Yea or Nay, and what is in excess of this is of the evil one.

[6, 7] 618Ye have heard that it was said, Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth:  619but I say unto you, Stand not in opposition to the evil;620 but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right [8] cheek,621 turn to him also the other.  622And he that would sue thee, and take thy tunic, [9] leave to him also thy wrapper.  623And whosoever compelleth thee one mile, go with [10] [Arabic, p. 35] him twain.  624And he that asketh thee, give unto him:  625and he that would borrow of thee, prevent him not.  And prosecute626 not him that taketh thy [11] substance.  627And as ye desire that men should do to you, so do ye also to them.

[12, 13] 628Ye have heard that it was said, Love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy:  629but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for those that curse you, and deal well with those that hate you, and pray for those who take you with violence and persecute you; [14] 630that ye may be sons of your heavenly Father, who maketh his sun to rise on the good and the evil, and sendeth down his rain on the righteous and the [15] unrighteous.  631If ye love them that love you, what reward shall ye have? 632for the publicans [16] and sinners also love those that love them.  633And if ye do a kindness to those [17] who treat you well, where is your superiority? for sinners also do likewise.  634And if ye lend to him of whom ye hope for a reward,635 where is your superiority? for the [18] sinners also lend to sinners, seeking recompense from636 them.  637But love your enemies, and do good to them, and lend, and cut not off the hope of any man; that your reward may be great, and ye may be the children of the Highest:  for he is lenient [19] towards the wicked and the ungrateful.  638Be ye merciful, even as your Father also is [20] merciful.  639And if ye inquire for the good of your brethren only, what more have [21] ye done than others? is not this the conduct of the publicans also?  640Be ye now641 perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

[22] 642Consider your alms; do them not before men to let them see you:  and if it be not [23] so,643 ye have no reward before your Father which is in the heavens.  644When then thou givest an alms now, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as do the people of hypocrisy, [Arabic, p. 36] in the synagogues and the marketplaces, that men may praise them.  And [24] verily say I unto you, They have received their reward.  645But thou, when [25] thou doest alms, let thy left hand not know what thy right hand doeth; 646that thine alms may be concealed:  and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

[26] 647And whenever thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites, who love to stand in the synagogues and in the corners of the marketplaces for prayers, that men may behold [27] them.  648And verily say I unto you, They have received their reward.  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and fasten thy door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.  [28] 649And whenever ye pray, be not babblers, as the heathen; for they think that by the [29] abundance of their words they shall be heard.  650Then be not ye now like unto them:  [30] for your Father knoweth your request before ye ask him.  651One of his disciples said [31] unto him, Our Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.  652Jesus said unto [32] them, Thus now pray ye now:653  654Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy [33, 34] name.  655Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done,656 as in heaven, so on earth. 657Give us the [35] food of to-day.  658And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgave those that trespassed [36] against us.  659And bring us not into temptations, but deliver us from the evil one. For [37] thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.660  661If ye forgive [Arabic, p. 37] men their wrong-doing,662 your Father which is in heaven will forgive you.  [38] 663But if ye forgive not men, neither will your Father pardon your wrong-doing.

[39] 664When ye fast, do not frown, as the hypocrites; for they make their faces austere, that they may be seen of665 men that they are fasting.  Verily I say unto you, They [40] have received their reward.  666But when thou fastest, wash thy face and anoint thy [41] head; 667that thou make not an appearance to men of fasting, but to thy Father which is in secret:  and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee.

[42] 668Be not agitated, little flock; for your Father hath delighted to give you the kingdom.  [43] 669Sell your possessions, and give in alms; take to yourselves purses that wax [44] not old.  670Lay not up treasure on earth, where moth and worm corrupt, and where [45] thieves break through and steal:  671but lay up for yourselves treasure in