Matthew 5
Matthew 5 begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes — Jesus' upside-down blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek and the merciful — followed by salt and light, and a radical deepening of the law.
The Book of Matthew · New Testament · chapter 5 of 28.
Where this chapter sits
Seeing the crowds, the teacher withdraws to a mountainside with his disciples, opening a three-chapter discourse that Matthew presents as a new teacher's programmatic address, echoing Moses receiving instruction on a mountain. After the opening blessings, the chapter moves into six contrasts, each set against a received reading of the law, on murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and love of enemies, raising the standard from external action to inward disposition.
Key verses (KJV)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3 (KJV)
“Ye are the light of the world.” — Matthew 5:14 (KJV)
What to notice as you read
Track the structure: beatitudes first, then 'you have heard... but I say,' repeated six times as the sermon reinterprets the law's intent rather than its letter. Anger is measured alongside murder, lust alongside adultery, a private inward standard set higher than outward compliance.
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Frequently asked questions
Where does Matthew 5 come in Matthew?
It is chapter 5 of 28 in Matthew, a book of Gospel in the New Testament. The other widely-read chapters of Matthew are linked further down this page.
Where can I read Matthew 5?
Read the full text of Matthew 5 — and the whole Bible, offline, in your preferred translation — free in the Quiethaven app for iPhone.