Bible in Basic English
Come to an agreement quickly with him who has a cause against you at law, while you are with him on the way, for fear that he may give you up to the judge and the judge may give you to the police and you may be put into prison.
Truly I say to you, You will not come out from there till you have made payment of the very last farthing.
You have knowledge that it was said, You may not have connection with another man's wife:
But I say to you that everyone whose eyes are turned on a woman with desire has had connection with her in his heart.
And if your right eye is a cause of trouble to you, take it out and put it away from you; because it is better to undergo the loss of one part, than for all your body to go into hell.
And if your right hand is a cause of trouble to you, let it be cut off and put it away from you; because it is better to undergo the loss of one part, than for all your body to go into hell.
Again, it was said, Whoever puts away his wife has to give her a statement in writing for this purpose:
But I say to you that everyone who puts away his wife for any other cause but the loss of her virtue, makes her false to her husband; and whoever takes her as his wife after she is put away, is no true husband to her.
Again, you have knowledge that it was said in old times, Do not take false oaths, but give effect to your oaths to the Lord:
But I say to you, Take no oaths at all: not by the heaven, because it is the seat of God;
Or by the earth, because it is the resting-place for his foot; or by Jerusalem, because it is the town of the great King.
You may not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.
But let your words be simply, Yes or No: and whatever is more than these is of the Evil One.
You have knowledge that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say to you, Do not make use of force against an evil man; but to him who gives you a blow on the right side of your face let the left be turned.
And if any man goes to law with you and takes away your coat, do not keep back your robe from him.
And whoever makes you go one mile, go with him two.
Give to him who comes with a request, and keep not your property from him who would for a time make use of it.
You have knowledge that it was said, Have love for your neighbour, and hate for him who is against you:
But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you;
So that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for his sun gives light to the evil and to the good, and he sends rain on the upright man and on the sinner.
For if you have love for those who have love for you, what credit is it to you? do not the tax-farmers the same?
And if you say, Good day, to your brothers only, what do you do more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?
Be then complete in righteousness, even as your Father in heaven is complete.
— Matthew 5:25-1964, Bible in Basic English
“Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing. Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell. It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery. Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one. Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same? Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. ”
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be in danger of being judged; and he who says to his brother, Raca, will be in danger from the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, You foolish one, will be in danger of the hell of fire.
If then you are making an offering at the altar and there it comes to your mind that your brother has something against you,
While your offering is still before the altar, first go and make peace with your brother, then come and make your offering.
Come to an agreement quickly with him who has a cause against you at law, while you are with him on the way, for fear that he may give you up to the judge and the judge may give you to the police and you may be put into prison.
Truly I say to you, You will not come out from there till you have made payment of the very last farthing.
You have knowledge that it was said, You may not have connection with another man's wife:
But I say to you that everyone whose eyes are turned on a woman with desire has had connection with her in his heart.
And if your right eye is a cause of trouble to you, take it out and put it away from you; because it is better to undergo the loss of one part, than for all your body to go into hell.
And if your right hand is a cause of trouble to you, let it be cut off and put it away from you; because it is better to undergo the loss of one part, than for all your body to go into hell.
Again, it was said, Whoever puts away his wife has to give her a statement in writing for this purpose:
But I say to you that everyone who puts away his wife for any other cause but the loss of her virtue, makes her false to her husband; and whoever takes her as his wife after she is put away, is no true husband to her.
Again, you have knowledge that it was said in old times, Do not take false oaths, but give effect to your oaths to the Lord:
But I say to you, Take no oaths at all: not by the heaven, because it is the seat of God;
Or by the earth, because it is the resting-place for his foot; or by Jerusalem, because it is the town of the great King.
You may not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.
But let your words be simply, Yes or No: and whatever is more than these is of the Evil One.
You have knowledge that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say to you, Do not make use of force against an evil man; but to him who gives you a blow on the right side of your face let the left be turned.
And if any man goes to law with you and takes away your coat, do not keep back your robe from him.
And whoever makes you go one mile, go with him two.
Give to him who comes with a request, and keep not your property from him who would for a time make use of it.
You have knowledge that it was said, Have love for your neighbour, and hate for him who is against you:
But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you;
So that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for his sun gives light to the evil and to the good, and he sends rain on the upright man and on the sinner.
For if you have love for those who have love for you, what credit is it to you? do not the tax-farmers the same?
And if you say, Good day, to your brothers only, what do you do more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?
Be then complete in righteousness, even as your Father in heaven is complete.