Matthew 5:33-48 "Again, you folks hear (or: heard) that is was declared to (or: by) the original peoples (or: the beginning humans; the archaic ones; the ancient folks; those of the early period), 'You will not repeatedly break an oath (swear without performing; swear falsely; commit perjury),' and further, 'You will habitually give back (repay) to the Lord = Yahweh your oaths.' : Lev.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ³³ "Again, you folks hear (or: heard) that is was declared to (or: by) the original peoples (or: the beginning humans; the archaic ones; the ancient folks; those of the early period), 'You will not repeatedly break an oath (swear without performing; swear falsely; commit perjury),' and further, 'You will habitually give back (repay) to the Lord [= Yahweh] your oaths.' [Lev. 19:12] ³⁴ "Yet I, Myself, am now saying to you folks to absolutely (altogether) not grab hold of a sacred object or make reference to a sacred sphere, so as to affirm an oath or swear confirmation – neither within the heaven (the atmosphere), because it is God's throne (seat of rule); ³⁵ "nor within the earth, because it is a footstool for His feet [Isa. 66:1]; nor [referencing] into Jerusalem, because it is ‘a city belonging to and having reference to the great King.’ [Ps. 48:2] ³⁶ "Neither within your head should you [mentally] touch something sacred so as to affirm an oath, because you continue having no power (or: ability) to make one hair shining white (to have the character of bright light) or black. ³⁷ "So let your word habitually be 'Yes,' [and mean] yes; [or] 'No,' [and let] 'no' [end the matter]. Now the thing [which is] in excess of these is (or: exists being) forth from out of the midst of the bad condition [of mankind] (the situation of hard labor, pain and misery; or: the evil, malevolent and wicked [thought]). ³⁸ "You hear (or: heard) that it was declared, 'An eye in substitution for (instead of; in place of) an eye,' and, 'A tooth in substitution for (instead of; in place of) a tooth.' [Ex. 21:24] ³⁹ "Yet I, Myself, am now telling you folks not to at any point actively set yourself against, or take a counteractive or aggressive stand in opposition to, the bad situation (or: = participate in armed resistance against the miserable condition; = mirror the painful, insulting or laborious situation; or: = ‘render evil for evil’ in opposition to the evil or wicked person; = rebel or be part of an insurrection; = stand off an enemy). On the contrary, [to] whomever is repeatedly cuffing or habitually slapping into your right cheek (or: jaw), turn to him the other one, also! [note: In his book, Engaging the Powers, Walter Wink has pointed out that this act of slapping someone on the right cheek referred to a person in a superior position of that society “backhanding” someone in an inferior position. It was meant to either insult the person, or to put the person in “their place,” or to “admonish” him. Wink suggests that turning the other cheek “'85 robs the oppressor of the power to humiliate.” (p. 176)] ⁴⁰ "And further, to the person continuing in desiring (wanting; purposing) for you to be judged (or: sued; or: presently intending to litigate with you) and even to take your inner garment (tunic; = shirt), at once send off to him your outer garment (cloak; coat) as well! [note: Under the Law the cloak was to be returned at each sundown (Ex. 22:25-27). Sending a creditor a cloak as collateral would say to folks that the creditor was taking everything from him and leaving him naked and destitute. It would show that this person was being inhumane. Wink says “indebtedness was endemic” in this land and time.] ⁴¹ "Also, [for] whoever will [other MSS: may] press you into service (conscript, requisition or commandeer you) [for] one mile, continue submissively leading the way with him [for] two [miles]. [note: This impressed service refers to the Roman rule (anagareia) that allowed the occupation troops to compel someone to carry their soldier’s pack or baggage for one mile – a rule often abused. Wink suggests that vss. 39-41 are non-violent, creative initiatives against social injustice. I suggest that they also demonstrate a heart of love and an acknowledging of brotherhood even with oppressors.] ⁴² "Give at once to the person presently, or repeatedly, asking of you, and you should not be turned away from the one continuously wanting (or: purposing) to borrow money from you. ⁴³ "You folks hear (or: heard) that it was declared, 'You will habitually love the one near to you (your neighbor or associate) ' [Lev. 19:18] – and yet you will constantly regard your enemy with ill will (hate the one hostile to you). ⁴⁴ "Yet I, Myself, am now saying to you folks: Be constantly loving your enemies (urging toward reunion with, and accepting as persons standing on the same ground, those folks hostile to you; [comment: this could have applied to the Romans, as well as to personal enemies]), and be habitually praying over (on behalf of) the people continuously persecuting you – ⁴⁵ "so that (by what means) you folks can be birthed (may come to be) sons of your Father – the One within [the] atmosphere and in union with [the] heavens – because He is repeatedly making His sun to rise back up again upon bad (evil; wicked; worthless) folks as well as [upon] good (virtuous) folks, and He is habitually sending rain upon fair and equitable people (those in right relationship; those within the Way pointed out; just ones; rightwised ones) as well as [upon] unfair and inequitable people (those not in right relationship; those not in the Way pointed out; unjust folks). ⁴⁶ "You see, if you should happen to love and participate with the ones constantly loving you folks, what wage or reward do you continue holding (or: having)? Are not also the tax collectors constantly doing the very same thing? [note: tax collectors worked for the state (for either one of the provinces, or for the Empire) and were thus despised and considered outcasts of the local society, being perceived as both collaborating with the Romans and as getting money dishonestly through their business as a "tax-farmer," (someone who purchased from the state the right to collect official taxes, tolls, customs and dues: they made their money by adding on a percentage to the tax which they collected for the state), or by working for a "tax-farmer"] ⁴⁷ "And further, if you folks should only greet and welcomely embrace your brothers, what are you continuing to do [that is] excessive or extraordinary? Are not also the folks of the ethnic multitudes (the nations; the pagans; the non-Israelites) constantly doing the very same thing? ⁴⁸ "Therefore, you folks will continuously exist being ones that have reached the purposed and destined goal: finished and completed ones; mature and perfected ones – in the same way as your heavenly Father (or: your Father which has the qualities of, and is characterized by, the atmosphere) constantly exists being One that is the goal and destiny: finished, complete, mature, perfect!