Don't Retaliate
Mt 5:9-26 Blessed are the peacemakers! For they shall be called the sons of God.
"Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness sake! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
"Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be salted? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the grain-measure, but on a lampstand. And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.
"Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, Till the heaven and the earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any way pass from the law until all is fulfilled. Therefore whoever shall break one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.
"For I say to you that unless your righteousness shall exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
"You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'You shall not kill' --and, 'Whoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be liable to the judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the sanhedrin; but whoever shall say, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of hell.
"Therefore if you offer your gift on the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him; that the opponent not deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, You shall by no means come out from there until you have paid the last kodrantes."
The overlap with previous verses demonstrates the way all the law overlaps, one teaching feeding into another, flowing like living waters.
Mt 5:38-42 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist evil. But whoever shall strike you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. And to him desiring to sue you, and to take away your tunic, let him have your coat also. And whoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.
"Give to him who asks of you, and you shall not turn away from him who would borrow from you."
Luke 6:28-35 "Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who despitefully use you.
"And to him who strikes you on the one cheek, also offer the other. And to him who takes away your garment, do not forbid your tunic also. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from him who takes away your goods, do not ask them again.
"And as you desire that men should do to you, you do also to them likewise.
For if you love those who love you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you have? For sinners also do the same. And if you lend to those of whom you hope to receive, what thanks do you have? For sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return. And your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil."
Keep a Proper Attitude Toward Wealth
Mt 6:19-21 "Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up treasures in Heaven for yourselves, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Mt 6:24-33 "No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
"Therefore I say to you, Do not be anxious for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Behold the birds of the air; for they sow not, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them; are you not much better than they are? Which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not toil, nor do they spin, but I say to you that even Solomon in his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Therefore if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much rather clothe you, little-faiths? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you."
Forgive
Mt 6:12"...and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors."
Mt 6:14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Mt 18:21-35 "Then Peter came to Him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Until seven times?'
"Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.
"'Therefore the kingdom of Heaven has been compared to a certain king who desired to make an accounting with his servants. And when he had begun to count, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he had nothing to pay, his lord commanded that he, and his wife and children, and all that he had, be sold, and payment be made.
"'Then the servant fell down and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, have patience with me and I will pay you all."
"Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.
"But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. And he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe.' And his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay the debt.
"So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry. And they came and told their lord all that was done.
"Then his lord, after he had called him, said to him, O wicked servant, 'I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have pitied your fellow servant, even as I had pity on you?' And his lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him.
"So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also to you, unless each one of you from your hearts forgive his brother their trespasses."
Mark 11:25-26 "And when you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive it so that also your Father in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses."
Luke 11:4 "...and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
Lu 17:3-4 "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother trespasses against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive him. And if he trespasses against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him."
