The Letter of James

Sermon on the Mount (Gospel of Matthew)

“Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy” (1:2).

“When people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you. . . . Rejoice and be glad” (5:11–12).

“You may be mature [teleioi ] and complete, lacking in nothing” (1:4).

“Be perfect [teleioi ] . . . as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:48).

“Ask God . . . and it will be given you” (1:5).

“Ask, and it will be given you” (7:7).

“Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers” (1:22).

“Everyone then who hears these words . . . and acts on them will be like a wise man” (7:24).

“Has not God chosen the poor in the world . . . to be heirs of the kingdom?” (2:5).

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (5:3).

“Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it” (2:10).

“Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments . . . will be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (5:19).

“Judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy” (2:13).

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (5:7).

“What good is it . . . if you say you have faith, but do not have works? Can faith save you?” (2:14).

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father” (7:21).

“Can a fig tree . . . yield olives, or a grapevine figs?” (3:12).

“Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?” (7:16).

“A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace” (3:18).

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (5:9).

“Friendship with the world is enmity with God” (4:4).

“You cannot serve God and wealth” (6:24).

“Purify your hearts” (4:8).

“Blessed are the pure in heart” (5:8).

“Who, then, are you to judge your neighbor?” (4:12).

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged” (7:1).

“Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted” (5:2–3).

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal” (6:19).

“Do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged” (5:9).

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged” (7:1).

“Do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no” (5:12).

“Do not swear at all, either by heaven . . . or by the earth. . . . Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’” (5:34–37).