“Again, you have heard the old saying, ‘You shall keep the oaths made to God.’
And so you swear oaths in which God is not mentioned, thinking that you can avoid keeping your word. I say to you, do not swear an oath at all, not by heaven, for it is the throne of God, not by earth, for it is the footstool of God; not by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Do not swear an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Instead, let your speech be ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ Anything more than this is of the evil one.
You have heard that it is said, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist the evil person. Whoever hits you on your right cheek, turn the other cheek to him. And if someone takes you to court to take away your coat, let him have your overcoat also.
If someone forces you to go a mile with him, go the second mile on your own.
Give to the person who asks you for something. If someone wants to borrow something from you, let him borrow it.
You have heard that it is said, ‘you shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you who are listening, love your enemies, do good to them who hate you, bless them who curse you, and pray for them who persecute you and misuse you.
In this way, you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on both the just and the unjust.
So, to the person who hits you on one cheek, offer the other. And to the person who takes away your coat, give him your overcoat also. Give to everyone who asks. Do not try and recover your property from someone who borrows it and does not return it.
If you only love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors love their friends, and even the sinners love those that love them. If you only do good to those who do good to you, what reward do you have? Even the sinners do that.
If you lend to someone, expecting to receive it back, what reward to you have? Even sinners lend money expecting to get an equal amount or more back.
Love your enemies and do them good. Keep in mind that God is kind to the unthankful and the evil.
If you give a kind greeting to your friends and relatives only, what is noteworthy about that? Everyone does that.
You are to be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
