New Testament texts on law:

1 Corinthians 6

Lawsuits Among Believers

6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for
judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s
people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent
to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the
things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a
ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is
it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between
believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of
unbelievers!

7 
The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely
defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead,
you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do
you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have
sex with men  10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor
[a]

swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you
were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sexual Immorality
12 
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the
right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the
stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body,
however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the
body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do
you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the
members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he
who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will
become one flesh.”  17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
[b] [c]

18 
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but
whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies
are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You
are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Luke 10

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two  others and sent them two by two ahead
[a]

of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest
is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out
workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do
not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

5 
“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If someone who promotes
peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay there,
eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not
move around from house to house.

8 
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick
who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when
you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of
your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom
of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than
for that town.

13 
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed
in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the
judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No,
you will go down to Hades. [b]

16 
“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever
rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

17 
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in
your name.”

18 
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to
trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing
will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that
your names are written in heaven.”
21 
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and
revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

22 
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is
except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to
whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23 
Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what
you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but
did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked,
“what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
[c] [d]

28 
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was
attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving
him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw
the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place
and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where
the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and
bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own
donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two
denarii  and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I
[e]

will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands
of robbers?”

37 
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman
named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the
Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations
that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister
has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many
things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.  Mary has chosen what is
[f]

better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Matthew 5

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His
disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

3 
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 
Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

5 
Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.

6 
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.

7 
Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.

8 
Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.

9 
Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.

10 
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in
heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

13 
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty
again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled
underfoot.

14 
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do
people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives
light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that
they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

17 
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to
abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from
the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the
least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the
kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called
great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the
kingdom of heaven.

Murder
21 
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,  and
[a]

anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is
angry with a brother or sister  will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a
[b][c]

brother or sister, ‘Raca,’  is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’
[d]

will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your
brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar.
First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 
“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you
are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the
judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell
you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery
27 
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  28 But I tell you that
[e]

anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his
heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is
better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into
hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is
better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Divorce
31 
“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of
divorce.’  32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality,
[f]

makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits
adultery.

Oaths
33 
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your
oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an
oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his
footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your
head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply
‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. [g]

Eye for Eye

38 
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  39 But I tell you, do
[h]

not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other
cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as
well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one
who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies

43 
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor  and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I
[i]

tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be
children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you,
what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet
only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do
that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 23

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the
Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But
do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy,
cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are
not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 
“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries  wide and
[a]

the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the
most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the
marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

8 
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all
brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in
heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the
Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt
themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

13 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of
the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let
those enter who are trying to. [14] 
[b]

15 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land
and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as
much a child of hell as you are.

16 
“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing;
but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind
fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also
say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift
on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the
altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by
it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by
the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne
and by the one who sits on it.
23 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of
your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters
of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without
neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside
of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind
Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be
clean.

27 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like
whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the
bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you
appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and
wickedness.

29 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for
the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in
the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the
blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants
of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your
ancestors started!

33 
“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to
hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you
will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to
town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth,
from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you
murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this
generation.

37 
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how
often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under
her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I
tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord.’ ”
[c]