Anne Elliot

A different kind of heroine

Jane Austen wrote in a letter to her niece Fanny Knight that Anne Elliot was ‘almost too good' as a heroine. She stands apart from Jane Austen's other heroines, not only because she is older, but also because her moral development is much further advanced. She lacks the faults and foibles of an Emma Woodhouse or a Marianne Dashwood. From the outset we are aware of her moral grounding and goodness:

Her ‘sweetness and elegance of mind' is highlighted in contrast to the mind-set of her sisters' (Ch. 1)
Her approach to retrenchment establishes her as responsible and wise early on in the story (Ch. 2)
She shows an acute sense of duty in her willingness to sacrifice a lifestyle that does not accurately reflect their financial state, in order to set an example for others (Ch. 2).

Despite Anne's sage financial advice and wisdom in general, no notice is taken of her. She is presented as overlooked, unappreciated and sidelined. Her journey in the novel is not one of moral growth, but that of:

Finding her voice
Being seen as valuable by others
Developing the confidence to state her opinions and live by her intuitions.

An unheard voice

Jane Austen gives us a gradual introduction to Anne as someone excluded from the affections and attention of her own family. When she tries to assert her opinion about the navy, her father's monologue on the subject shuts her down. She retreats from conversation and becomes an observer.

However, at this point we begin to be privy to her reflections on - and reactions to - the world around her. The reader therefore gains their own insights about Anne from her introspections and thereby enters into a greater appreciation of her worth than is felt by those about her:

Her astute character judgment is revealed when she anticipates the dangers in her father's relationship with Mrs. Clay (Ch.5)
Her selflessness and humility are revealed when the Musgroves' absorption in their own affairs at Uppercross prompts her desire to learn to be comfortable with feeling insignificant (Ch. 6)
Her self-control shows through as she reasons with herself against the physical manifestations of her feelings for Captain Wentworth and subdues her blushes and agitations with walks and fresh air.

Characteristic speech and thought patterns

A pattern of reasoning

Anne Elliot is described as someone who ‘watched – observed – reflected' (Ch. 17 / Vol.2, Ch.5). This sums up the internal process through which she forms her opinions throughout the novel. Anne has a characteristic pattern of reasoning with herself. Although she does not waver in her opinions and is willing to face the truth, she finds the resulting feelings uncomfortable:

‘Soon, however, she began to reason with herself, and try to be feeling less.' (Ch. 7).

Her reasoning helps her to calm her heightened emotions and achieve the self-possession necessary to restore her inner and outward composure. In order to attain this ‘collected mind' she combats her emotions with:

Reassuring thoughts that she has made decisions that are for the good of others:

‘Had she not imagined herself consulting his good, even more than her own, she could hardly have given him up.' (Ch.4)

Thoughts of ‘sobering tendency' :

‘they allayed agitation; they composed, and consequently must make her happier.' (Ch. 7)

Redirecting her thoughts to other things, as she does through her contemplations of exercise, nature and poetry on the walk to Winthrop (Ch. 10)
Making herself useful:

‘though her eyes would sometimes fill with tears as she sat at the instrument, she was extremely glad to be employed,' (Ch. 8)

Habitually steeling herself for the disregard of others:

‘Anne herself was become hardened to such affronts;' (Ch. 5)

At times, particularly when in the company of others, a collected mind evades Anne and she retreats to solitude in order to be able to focus her efforts on overcoming her emotions:

‘She was ashamed of herself, quite ashamed of being so nervous, so overcome by such a trifle; but so it was, and it required a long application of solitude and reflection to recover her.… (Ch. 9)

Gentle speech

Anne does not speak a word until Chapter 3. Even later on, when we see things from her perspective, her words are largely recorded indirectly. She is sure of her opinions but, at the outset, she keeps them mostly to herself, aware that others do not attend to them. Several times she indicates that she has much more to say, but chooses not to. When she does speak her opinion:

It is clearly and succinctly stated, and she seems to use as few words as possible
Her opinion is not ambiguous, but its definiteness is modified by her use of phrases like ‘I think', ‘perhaps' and ‘probably' which:
- Lends awareness that others may not share her opinion and adds a gentleness and openness to her tone
- Emphasises her submissive quality
- Demonstrates some anxiety that others would respond negatively if her opinion were stated more definitely
Sometimes her voice falters or she cannot speak at all due to her struggle with her emotions.

Growing authority

After Louisa's fall, there is a new quality to Anne's speech:

In the face of crisis, she becomes much more authoritative as she instructs everyone:

‘Leave me, and go to him. Rub her hands, rub her temples;' (Ch.12)

Their attentive and obedient response seems to give her the confidence to persuade the Musgroves to go to Lyme and she is ‘delighted' at her success
Despite the fact that her family still largely ignores her, she begins to offer her opinion more often and more decisively than previously
She speaks at greater length to a number of people, including Captain Wentworth
She seems more relaxed and expansive when she speaks
More expression is attributed to her words
She is still not immune to others' response to her words, but she speaks out nevertheless:

‘She had spoken it; but she trembled when it was done, conscious that her words were listened to, and daring not even to try to observe their effect.' (Ch.22 / Vol. 2, Ch. 10).

Anne Elliot's discussion with Captain Harville in Chapter 23 about the constancy of men and women, is a good gauge of how her speech has evolved over time:

There is an easiness in Anne's manner with Harville which enables her to expand her ideas more fully
There is more emphasis on the fervency with which Anne delivers her words: ‘a low feeling voice', ‘cried Anne eagerly'
She is still at times, so overcome by emotion that her voice falters and her speech is impaired:

‘she could not have immediately uttered another sentence; her heart was too full, her breath too much oppressed.'

Despite the strength of her convictions, there remains a flexibility in Anne's opinion, which she now cleverly uses to advance her argument:

‘If the change be not from outward circumstances, it must be from within; it must be nature, man's nature.'

Anne's practical kindness

It is Anne's kindness, competency and desire to be useful that eventually propel her from the periphery of the action to the centre:

Knowing Anne was a willing and capable nurse, Mary summons her to her side at Uppercross (Ch. 5)
She narrowly misses crossing paths with Captain Wentworth because she offers her services to care for little Charles after his fall. Although this appears to be a missed opportunity, the Captain must have been aware of this since he later recommends Anne to be the one to care for Louisa after her fall, saying there is:

‘no one so proper, so capable as Anne!' (Ch.12)

Anne's natural instincts come to the fore in the crisis of Louisa's fall. She takes charge, helping Louisa, comforting the others and calling out instructions. She is the calm and capable central figure to whom everyone is looking. She is now the absolute focus of attention.

Anne as moral guide

All the while we are watching the powers of persuasion at work among the characters of the novel, we must also be aware of the persuasive effect of Anne Elliot's morality on us as readers.

Christian standards

There is no doubt that Anne is a virtuous heroine who lives out the biblical standards of prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude, faith, hope, charity, diligence, patience, chastity and humility. Her Christian morality also withstands the ultimate test of living in community with others:

She embodies the second of Jesus' two greatest Commandments - to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 12:31). We repeatedly see her selflessly doing good things for others, often with some effort or cost to her own comfort
She does not only consider her own interests, but also the interests of others: a primary characteristic of a good Christian (Philippians 2:4)
She obeys the injunction to ‘do good to those who hate you' Luke 6:27 when she acts kindly to those who completely disregard her, responding to them altruistically with their good at heart.

Morally attractive

In order to convince the reader that Anne's morality is attractive, Jane Austen makes Anne Elliot a likeable and persuasive moral guide:

She is not priggish in her virtuousness
Her acute insight helps us perceive immorality when we encounter it in other characters, and emphasises her own moral superiority
She is not hypocritical, but lives out her moral beliefs by example. On a rare occasion when there is a disconnect between her behaviour and her advice to Captain Benwick, she is honest with herself, knowing that ‘ her own conduct would ill bear examination' (Ch. 11)
Her struggles are human. She experiences disappointment, pain and sorrow
She periodically laughs at, chides and at one point even hates herself when she misses the mark
She is well-liked and respected by the people whose opinion matters in the novel, most notably the Crofts and the naval group
She doesn't have a perfect life or family, so the reader can sympathise with her at the outset, and rejoice with her at the end when she overcomes these obstacles
She is rewarded for her virtuous behaviour at the end. Even along the way, many of her choices to help others turn out to be good for Anne as well.

Growing confidence

In Volume 2 we continue to observe the characters from Anne's point of view. At the card party in Chapter 23 / Vol. 2, Ch 11, she demonstrates a healthy objectivity to those gathered around her. She has become independent of those who have given her cause for pain and anxiety, and is confident to appreciate openly those who have drawn her into their community and become family to her.

Our last view of Anne's feelings is one of eager anticipation of her life as a sailor's wife. With war on the horizon, this will undoubtedly involve some travel beyond the borders of England. We have the sense that, like Mrs. Croft, she will embrace the adventure, secure in the love of her husband and confident of her perspective on the world.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹And he began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. ²When the season came, he sent a servant to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. ³And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. ⁵And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. ⁶He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, They will respect my son. ⁷But those tenants said to one another, This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours. ⁸And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. ⁹What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰Have you not read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; ¹¹this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? ¹²And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. ¹³And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. ¹⁴And they came and said to him, Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not? ¹⁵But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. ¹⁶And they brought one. And he said to them, Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, Caesar's. ¹⁷Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marveled at him. ¹⁸And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, ¹⁹Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁰There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. ²¹And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. ²²And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. ²³In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife. ²⁴Jesus said to them, Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? ²⁵For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. ²⁶And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? ²⁷He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong. ²⁸And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, Which commandment is the most important of all? ²⁹Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ³¹The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. ³²And the scribe said to him, You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. ³³And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. ³⁴And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. ³⁵And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? ³⁶David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet. ³⁷David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son? And the great throng heard him gladly. ³⁸And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces ³⁹and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, ⁴⁰who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation. ⁴¹And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴²And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. ⁴³And he called his disciples to him and said to them, Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. ⁴⁴For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.

¹And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. ²And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. ³And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. ⁴And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. ⁵And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. ⁶Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. ⁷But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our's. ⁸And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. ⁹What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. ¹⁰And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: ¹¹This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? ¹²And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way. ¹³And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. ¹⁴And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? ¹⁵Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. ¹⁶And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. ¹⁷And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. ¹⁸Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, ¹⁹Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. ²⁰Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed. ²¹And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise. ²²And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also. ²³In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. ²⁴And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? ²⁵For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven. ²⁶And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? ²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. ²⁸And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? ²⁹And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: ³⁰And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. ³¹And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. ³²And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: ³³And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. ³⁴And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. ³⁵And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? ³⁶For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. ³⁷David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly. ³⁸And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, ³⁹And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: ⁴⁰Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. ⁴¹And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. ⁴²And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. ⁴³And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: ⁴⁴For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ²complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¹²Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. ¹⁴Do all things without grumbling or disputing, ¹⁵that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. ¹⁷Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. ¹⁹I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. ²⁰For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. ²¹For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²²But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. ²³I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, ²⁴and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also. ²⁵I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, ²⁶for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. ²⁷Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. ²⁹So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, ³⁰for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

¹If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, ²Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ³Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. ⁴Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. ⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¹²Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. ¹⁴Do all things without murmurings and disputings: ¹⁵That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; ¹⁶Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. ¹⁷Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. ¹⁹But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. ²⁰For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. ²¹For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. ²²But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. ²³Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. ²⁴But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. ²⁵Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. ²⁶For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. ²⁷For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. ²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: ³⁰Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. ²But some of the Pharisees said, Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath? ³And Jesus answered them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: ⁴how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him? ⁵And he said to them, The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath. ⁶On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. ⁸But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, Come and stand here. And he rose and stood there. ⁹And Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it? ¹⁰And after looking around at them all he said to him, Stretch out your hand. And he did so, and his hand was restored. ¹¹But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. ¹²In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. ¹³And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: ¹⁴Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, ¹⁵and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. ¹⁷And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. ²⁰And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ²¹Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. ²²Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! ²³Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. ²⁴But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. ²⁵Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. ²⁶Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. ²⁷But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. ³⁰Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. ³¹And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. ³²If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. ³⁵But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. ³⁶Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. ³⁷Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. ³⁹He also told them a parable: Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. ⁴¹Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴²How can you say to your brother, Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye, when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye. ⁴³For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, ⁴⁴for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. ⁴⁵The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. ⁴⁶Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you? ⁴⁷Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: ⁴⁸he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. ⁴⁹But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.

¹And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. ²And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? ³And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; ⁴How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? ⁵And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. ⁶And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. ⁷And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him. ⁸But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. ⁹Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? ¹⁰And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. ¹¹And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. ¹²And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. ¹³And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; ¹⁴Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, ¹⁵Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, ¹⁶And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. ¹⁷And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; ¹⁸And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. ¹⁹And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. ²⁰And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. ²¹Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. ²²Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. ²³Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. ²⁴But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. ²⁵Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. ²⁶Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. ²⁷But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, ²⁸Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. ²⁹And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. ³⁰Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. ³¹And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. ³²For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. ³³And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. ³⁴And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. ³⁶Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. ³⁷Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: ³⁸Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. ³⁹And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? ⁴⁰The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. ⁴¹And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴²Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. ⁴³For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ⁴⁴For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. ⁴⁵A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. ⁴⁶And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? ⁴⁷Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: ⁴⁸He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. ⁴⁹But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

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