Mat 5:20-48, 2Cor 3:6, 14, 17 | ESV | STEP | For I tell you , unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees , you will never enter the kingdom of heaven .

21 ^c“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ^d‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable ^eto judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that ^feveryone who is angry with his brother ^{▼▼Some manuscripts insert without cause} will be liable ^hto judgment; whoever insults ^{▼▼Greek says Raca to (a term of abuse)} his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to ^jthe hell ^{▼▼Greek Gehenna; also verses 29, 30} of fire. 23 ^lSo if ^myou 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 ⁿCome 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, ^oyou will never get out until you have paid the last penny. ^{▼▼Greek kodrantes, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)}

Lust

27 ^q“You have heard that it was said, ^r‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that ^severyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 ^tIf your right eye ^ucauses 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 ^vhell. 30 ^wAnd if your right hand ^xcauses 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 ^yhell.

Divorce

31 ^z“It was also said, ^aa‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 ^abBut I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and ^acwhoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths

33 “Again ^adyou have heard that it was said to those of old, ^ae‘You shall not swear falsely, but ^afshall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, ^agDo not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for ^ahit is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is ^aithe 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’; ^ajanything more than this comes from evil. ^{▼▼Or the evil one}

Retaliation

38 ^al“You have heard that it was said, ^am‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, ^anDo not resist the one who is evil. But ^aoif anyone ^apslaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And ^aqif anyone would sue you and take your tunic, ^{▼▼Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin} let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone ^asforces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 ^atGive to the one who begs from you, and ^audo not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

43 ^av“You have heard that it was said, ^aw‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, ^axLove your enemies and ^aypray for those who persecute you, 45 ^azso 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 ^basends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 ^bbFor 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, ^{▼▼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} what more are you doing than others? Do not even ^bdthe Gentiles do the same? 48 ^beYou therefore must be ^bfperfect, ^bgas your heavenly Father is perfect.

2 Corinthians 3:6

6 who has made us sufficient to be ^bhministers of ^bia new covenant, not of ^bjthe letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but ^bkthe Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 3:14

14 But ^bltheir minds were ^bmhardened. For to this day, ^bnwhen they read ^bothe old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

2 Corinthians 3:17

17 Now the Lord ^{▼▼Or this Lord} is the Spirit, and where ^bqthe Spirit of the Lord is, there is ^brfreedom.