Chapter 9
Concerning Oaths
Verse 1: “Again, you have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You will not swear falsely, but will fulfill your vows made to the Lord.’ | Matthew 5:33
2 However I say to you: Do not swear, ever, neither by heaven, as it is the throne of your God, | Matthew 5:34
3 nor by the earth, or by Jerusalem, for it is a great city. | Matthew 5:35
4 And neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. | Matthew 5:36
5 Let your word simply be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything further than this comes from the darkness.” | Matthew 5:37
Concerning Retaliation
6 “You have also heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ | Matthew 5:38
7 But I tell you: Do not resist an wicked man. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn and give them the other also, | Matthew 5:39
8 and if anyone wants take you to court and sue you to take your shirt, let them have your coat as well, | Matthew 5:40
9 and if anyone compels you to go one mile, go an extra mile also. | Matthew 5:41
10 Give to everyone who asks of you, and do not turn your back on those who want to borrow from you | Matthew 5:42
11 and if anyone takes your property, do not demand it back again. | Luke 6:30
12 If you have money, do not lend it at interest. Instead give it to someone from whom you will not receive it back.” | Gospel of Thomas 95
Love for Enemies
13 “You have also heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ | Matthew 5:43
14 But to those who are listening, I say: Love your enemies; perform good works to those who hate you; | Luke 6:27
15 bless those who curse you and pray for those who persecute and mistreat you; | Luke 6:28
16 so that you may become children of my Father in heaven, for he shines his light brightly on the good and casts the unrighteous into the outer darkness. | Matthew 5:45
17 Do to others as you would wish them to do to you. | Luke 6:31
18 If you only love people who love you back, what thanks will be due to you? Even sinners love those who love them. | Luke 6:32
19 If you only lend to people who pay you back, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. | Luke 6:34
20 If you only do favours to people who do favours for you, what reward is that to you? Even the dishonest do as much! | Matthew 5:46
21 If you show goodness to those who do good to you, does that count as a display of kindness? For even sinners do the same. | Luke 6:33
22 And if you greet only those you know, friends and family, what are you doing that is remarkable? Do not even the gentiles do the same? | Matthew 5:47
23 Instead, love your enemies, do good works, and lend, expecting nothing in return and then your reward shall be great, and you will be children of my Father, for he himself will be kind to the ungrateful and the wicked who turn from their deeds. | Luke 6:35
24 Be loving and good, just as your heavenly Father is loving and good. | Matthew 5:48
25 Be merciful, just as my Father is merciful to his children.” | Luke 6:36
Concerning Almsgiving
26 “Beware of displaying your kindness before others so that you may be seen by them, for then you have no reward from my Father in heaven. | Matthew 6:1
27 So whenever you do acts of charity, don't turn it into a public performance, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, in order for them to be praised by others. In truth I say to you, they have received their reward. | Matthew 6:2
28 But when you give to charity and do acts of kindness, do it so quietly that your left hand know what your right hand is doing, | Matthew 6:3
29 so that all these may be done in secret, and my Father who also sees in secret will reward you”. | Matthew 6:4
Concerning Prayer
30 “And whenever you pray, do not behave as the hypocrites do. For they love to stand, arms stretched out to heaven and pray in the synagogues and at the busy street corners, so that they an audience watches them. Truly I tell you, their vanity is its own reward. | Matthew 6:5
31 But whenever you pray, enter into your room in solitude and shut the door and pray to my Father who is in reprose, and my Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. | Matthew 6:6
32 When you are praying, do not stack up empty phrases or vain repetitions as the gentiles do, for they think their many words will be heard. | Matthew 6:7
33 Do not be like them, for my Father knows all that you do. | Matthew 6:8
34 Pray like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. | Matthew 6:9
35 May we do your will on earth as you do in heaven. | Matthew 6:10
36 Let us drink from the bubbling spring today, so that we may become like you. | Gospel of Thomas 13, Gospel of Thomas 108
37 And as we set our neighbor free from judgment, we set ourselves free from the past. | Matthew 6:12
38 And as we walk through the midst of the world, we fix our eyes on the light, rejecting the darkness of the evil one.'” | Matthew 6:13
39 Jesus continued, “For if you forgive someone their offenses, my heavenly Father will also forgive you, | Matthew 6:14
40 but if you do not forgive others their offenses, neither will he forgive yours.” | Matthew 6:15
Concerning Fasting
41 Now John’s disciples and all the Pharisees were fasting, and some people came and asked Jesus, “Why do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” | Mark 2:18
42 Jesus answered, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is among them, can they? As long as he is present with them, they cannot fast. | Mark 2:19
43 But a time is coming when the bridegroom will be torn away from them; then they will fast on that day. | Mark 2:20
44 And whenever you fast, do not act sullen and look gloomy, like the hypocrites who wear their piety on their sleeves and a scowl on their faces to show others that they are fasting. In truth I say to you, they have received their reward. | Matthew 6:16
45 But when you fast, anoint head with oil and wash your face, | Matthew 6:17
46 so that your fasting will not be obvious others but only by my Father who is in reprose, and my Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.” | Matthew 6:18
47 Then his disciples questioned him and said to him, “Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?” | Gospel of Thomas 6
48 Jesus said, “Do not tell lies, and don't do what you hate, for all things are revealed before my father in heaven. For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, and there is nothing covered which will remain without being uncovered.” | Gospel of Thomas 6