Leo Tolstoy Archive
Written: 1908
Source: From RevoltLib.com
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
And Jesus said: “Here is the first commandment. The old law said: you shall not kill, and he who kills is sinful. But I say to you that if a man is angry with his brother, he is already sinful before God; he even more sinful when he says to his brother a rude, dirty word. So if you started to pray and remembered that you are angry at your brother, then, before you pray, go make peace with him, and if by some reason you cannot accomplish that, then extinguish the grudge in your soul against your brother. This is the first commandment.
Another commandment is this. It is said in the old law: you shall not commit adultery, and if you are separated with your wife, then give her a divorce. But I say unto you, that not only a person should not commit adultery, but if he looks at a woman with dirty thoughts, he already is sinful before God. In regards to divorce I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, he commits adultery himself, and provokes his wife into adultery, and provokes another one into sin whoever is going to marry the divorced one. This is the second commandment.
The third commandment is this. In your old law, it is said: don't break oaths, but keep your vows before God. But I say unto you, that you should not swear at all, and if you are asked about something, then say: ‘yes’ if it’s yes; and ‘no’ if it’s not. You must not swear by anything. Man is entirely in the power of God, and therefore he cannot promise in ahead that he’ll commit that what he swears. This the third commandment.
The fourth commandment is this. In the old law it is said: an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you that you should not pay with evil for evil, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. And if anyone strikes you on the one cheek, it’s better to turn him the other cheek than to answer with a kick for a kick. And if someone wants to take your shirt, then it is better to give away even a caftan, too, than to hate and to fight with your brother. Do not resist evil with evil. This the fourth commandment. The fifth commandment is this. In your old law it is said: love people of your nation, but hate people of foreign nations. But I say to you that we must love all people. If people consider themselves your enemies, and hate, curse you, and attack you, you should still love them and do good to them. All people are children of one father. All are the brothers, and therefore we must love all people equally. This is the fifth, and final, commandment. (Matthew 5, 21-48)
Questions:
1) What is the 1-th commandment?
2) What is 2nd?
3) What is 3rd?
4) What is 4th?
5) What is the 5-th commandment?