The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 641

4:16. The people that sat in darkness, hath seen great light: and to them that sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up.

4:17. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

4:18. And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers).

4:19. And he saith to them: Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men.

4:20. And they immediately leaving their nets, followed him.

4:21. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a s.h.i.+p with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them.

4:22. And they forthwith left their nets and father, and followed him.

4:23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom: and healing all manner of sickness and every infirmity, among the people.

4:24. And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they presented to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and such as were possessed by devils, and lunatics, and those that had the palsy, and he cured them:

4:25. And much people followed him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Matthew Chapter 5

Christ's sermon upon the mount. The eight beat.i.tudes.

5:1. And seeing the mult.i.tudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him.

5:2. And opening his mouth he taught them, saying:

5:3. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The poor in spirit... That is, the humble; and they whose spirit is not set upon riches.

5:4. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

5:5. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5:6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

5:7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

5:8. Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see G.o.d.

5:9. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of G.o.d.

5:10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:11. Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:

5:12. Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.

5:13. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing anymore but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.

5:14. You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.

5:15. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may s.h.i.+ne to all that are in the house.

5:16. So let your light s.h.i.+ne before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

5:17. Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

To fulfil... By accomplis.h.i.+ng all the figures and prophecies; and perfecting all that was imperfect.

5:18. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pa.s.s, one jot, or one t.i.ttle shall not pa.s.s of the law, till all be fulfilled.

Amen... That is, a.s.suredly of a truth... This Hebrew word, amen, is here retained by the example and authority of all the four Evangelists. It is used by our Lord as a strong a.s.severation, and affirmation of the truth.

5:19. He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.

But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

5:20. For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The scribes and Pharisees... The scribes were the doctors of the law of Moses: the Pharisees were a precise set of men, making profession of a more exact observance of the law: and upon that account greatly esteemed among the people.

5:21. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment.

Shall be in danger of the judgment... That is, shall deserve to be punished by that lesser tribunal among the Jews, called the Judgment, which took cognizance of such crimes.

5:22. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of h.e.l.l fire.

Raca... A word expressing great indignation or contempt. Shall be in danger of the council... That is, shall deserve to be punished by the highest court of judicature, called the Council, or Sanhedrim, consisting of seventy-two persons, where the highest causes were tried and judged, which was at Jerusalem. Thou fool... This was then looked upon as a heinous injury, when uttered with contempt, spite, or malice: and therefore is here so severely condemned. Shall be in danger of h.e.l.l fire... literally, according to the Greek, shall deserve to be cast into the Gehenna of fire. Which words our Saviour made use of to express the fire and punishments of h.e.l.l.

5:23. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee;

5:24. Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

5:25. Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

5:26. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.

5:27. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

5:28. But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to l.u.s.t after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.

5:29. And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than thy whole body be cast into h.e.l.l.

Scandalize thee... That is, if it be a stumblingblock, or occasion of sin to thee. By which we are taught to fly the immediate occasions of sin, though they be as dear to us, or as necessary as a hand or an eye.

5:30. And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body go into h.e.l.l.

5:31. And it hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.