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37 Instead, when you make a promise, you should say only “Yes, I will do it.” Or you should say only “No, I will not do it.” If you say anything more than this, what you say is bad.[a] It comes from Satan.’

Jesus teaches how to love people

38 Jesus then said, ‘You also know that God's Law says: “If somebody destroys your eye, then you should destroy that person's eye. If somebody destroys your tooth, then you should destroy that person's tooth.” 39 But what I tell you is this. If somebody does something bad to you, do not do anything against him.[b] Somebody may slap you on one side of your face. Then you should also let him slap the other side of your face.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:37 People used to say these extra words when they made a promise. They wanted other people to know that they would keep their promise. Jesus taught that we should always keep our promises (do what we promised to do).
  2. 5:39 We should not do bad things to other people who have done bad things to us.

37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;(A) anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a](B)

Eye for Eye

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[b](C) 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:37 Or from evil
  2. Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21