Apologetics Bible
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The Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7) opens with the Beatitudes — eight paradoxical blessings that invert every standard of worldly flourishing and describe the character of Kingdom citizens.
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Connected primary witness
- Connected ID:
Matthew_5
- Primary Witness Text: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I...
Connected dataset overlay
- Connected ID:
Matthew_5
- Chapter Blob Preview: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirs...
Chapter frameStart here before opening notes.
Chapter frame
Matthew, written c. AD 50-60 for a primarily Jewish audience, is structured around five great discourse blocks — echoing the five books of Moses and presenting Jesus as the new and greater Moses, the fulfillment of the Torah rather than its abolition (5:17).
Matthew is the most OT-citation-dense Gospel (~65 explicit citations plus hundreds of allusions), consistently showing fulfillment of OT Scripture. Its opening genealogy (1:1-17) traces the Davidic-Abrahamic covenant line, establishing Jesus' legal right to the Messianic throne. Matthew's Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7) remains the most complete statement of Kingdom ethics in ancient literature.
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Matthew 5:1
Greek
Ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος· καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ προσῆλθαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ·Idon de toys ochloys anebe eis to oros· kai kathisantos aytoy proselthan ayto oi mathetai aytoy·
KJV: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
AKJV: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came to him:
ASV: And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him:
YLT: And having seen the multitudes, he went up to the mount, and he having sat down, his disciples came to him,
Exposition: Matthew 5:1 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:2
Greek
καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων·kai anoixas to stoma aytoy edidasken aytoys legon·
KJV: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
AKJV: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
ASV: and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,
YLT: and having opened his mouth, he was teaching them, saying:
Commentary Witness (Generated)Matthew 5:2Generated editorial synthesis
Commentary Witness (Generated)
Matthew 5:2
Matthew 5:2 advances the immediate literary flow of the chapter and should be interpreted in its canonical context, not as an isolated proof text. In the present translation it reads: 'And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,'. A close Koine Greek reading supports attention to key lexical choices, clause movement, and redemptive-historical placement so doctrinal conclusions remain textually grounded.
Provenance. Rendered as an editorial synthesis tied to the canonical verse context and current chapter source.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:2
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Matthew 5:2
Exposition: Matthew 5:2 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:3
Greek
Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.Makarioi oi ptochoi to pneymati, oti ayton estin e basileia ton oyranon.
KJV: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
AKJV: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
ASV: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
YLT: `Happy the poor in spirit--because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:3Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:3
Verse 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, etc. - Or, happy, μακαριοι from μα or μη, not, and κηρ, fate, or death: intimating, that such persons were endued with immortality, and consequently were not liable to the caprices of fate. Homer, Iliad i, 330, calls the supreme gods, Θεων μακαρων, the ever happy and Immortal gods, and opposes them to θνητων ανθρωπων, mortal men. τω δ' αυτω μαρτυροι εστων Προς τε Θεων μακαρων, προς τε θνητων ανθροπων "Be ye witnesses before the immortal gods, and before mortal men." From this definition we may learn, that the person whom Christ terms happy is one who is not under the influence of fate or chance, but is governed by an all-wise providence, having every step directed to the attainment of immortal glory, being transformed by the power into the likeness of the ever-blessed God. Though some of the persons, whose states are mentioned in these verses, cannot be said to be as yet blessed or happy, in being made partakers of the Divine nature; yet they are termed happy by our Lord, because they are on the straight way to this blessedness. Taken in this light the meaning is similar to that expressed by the poet when describing a happy man. Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas: Atque metus omnes et inexorabile Fatum Subjecit pedibus; strepitumque Acherontis avari! Virg. Geor. ii. v. 490 Which may be thus paraphrased: - "Happy is he who gains the knowledge of the first cause of all things; who can trample on every fear, and the doctrine of inexorable Fate; and who is not terrified by death, nor by the threatened torments of the invisible world!" Poor in spirit - One who is deeply sensible of his spiritual poverty and wretchedness. Πτωχος, a poor man, comes from πτωσσω, to tremble, or shrink with fear. Being destitute of the true riches, he is tremblingly alive to the necessities of his soul, shrinking with fear lest he should perish without the salvation of God. Such Christ pronounces happy, because there is but a step between them and that kingdom which is here promised. Some contend, that μακαριοι should be referred to πνευματι, and the verse translated thus: Happy, or blessed in spirit, are the poor. But our Lord seems to have the humiliation of the spirit particularly in view. Kingdom of heaven - Or, των ουρανων, of the heavens. A participation of all the blessings of the new covenant here, and the blessings of glory above. See this phrase explained, Mat 3:2 (note). Blessed are the poor! This is God's word; but who believes it? Do we not say, Yea, rather, Blessed is the rich? The Jewish rabbins have many good sayings relative to that poverty and humility of spirit which Christ recommends in this verse. In the treatise called Bammidbar Rabbi, s. 20, we have these words: There were three (evils) in Balaam: the evil eye, (envy), the towering spirit, (pride), and the extensive mind (avarice). Tanchum, fol. 84. The law does not abide with those who have the extensive mind, (avarice), but with him only who has a contrite heart. Rabbi Chanina said, "Why are the words of the law compared to water? Because as waters flow from heights, and settle in low places, so the words of the law rest only with him who is of an humble heart." See Schoettgen.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:3
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 3:2
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Ovid
- Or
- Homer
- Lord
- Felix
- Virg
- Geor
- Fate
- Happy
- Yea
- Bammidbar Rabbi
- Balaam
- Tanchum
- See Schoettgen
Exposition: Matthew 5:3 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:4
Greek
μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται.makarioi oi penthoyntes, oti aytoi paraklethesontai.
KJV: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
AKJV: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
ASV: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
YLT: `Happy the mourning--because they shall be comforted.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:4Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:4
Verse 4 Blessed are they that mourn - That is, those who, feeling their spiritual poverty, mourn after God, lamenting the iniquity that separated them from the fountain of blessedness. Every one flies from sorrow, and seeks after joy, and yet true joy must necessarily be the fruit of sorrow. The whole need not (do not feel the need of) the physician, but they that are sick do; i.e. they who are sensible of their disease. Only such persons as are deeply convinced of the sinfulness of sin, feel the plague of their own heart, and turn with disgust from all worldly consolations, because of their insufficiency to render them happy, have God's promise of solid comfort. They Shall Be comforted, says Christ, παρακληθησονται, from παρα, near, and καλεω, I call. He will call them to himself, and speak the words of pardon, peace, and life eternal, to their hearts. See this notion of the word expressed fully by our Lord, Mat 11:28, Come Unto Me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:4
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 11:28
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Christ
- Lord
Exposition: Matthew 5:4 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:5
Greek
μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν.makarioi oi praeis, oti aytoi kleronomesoysi ten gen.
KJV: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
AKJV: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
ASV: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
YLT: `Happy the meek--because they shall inherit the land.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:5Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:5
Verse 5 Blessed are the meek - Happy, οι πραεις, from ῥαος, easy, those who are of a quiet, gentle spirit, in opposition to the proud and supercilious Scribes and Pharisees and their disciples. We have a compound word in English, which once fully expressed the meaning of the original, viz. gentleman; but it has now almost wholly lost its original signification. Our word meek comes from the old Anglo-saxon meca, or meccea, a companion or equal, because he who is of a meek or gentle spirit, is ever ready to associate with the meanest of those who fear God, feeling himself superior to none; and well knowing that he has nothing of spiritual or temporal good but what he has received from the mere bounty of God, having never deserved any favor from his hand. For they shall inherit the earth - Or, την γην, the land. Under this expression, which was commonly used by the prophets to signify the land of Canaan, in which all temporal good abounded, Jdg 18:9, Jdg 18:10, Jesus Christ points out that abundance of spiritual good, which was provided for men in the Gospel. Besides, Canaan was a type of the kingdom of God; and who is so likely to inherit glory as the man in whom the meekness and gentleness of Jesus dwell? In some good MSS. and several ancient versions, the fourth and fifth verses are transposed: see the authorities in the various readings in Professor Griesbach's edition. The present arrangement certainly is most natural: 1. Poverty, to which the promise of the kingdom is made. 2. Mourning or distress, on account of this impoverished state, to which consolation is promised. And 3. Meekness established in the heart by the consolations received.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:5
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Ovid
- Jesus
- Happy
- English
- Or
- Canaan
- Gospel
- Besides
- Poverty
Exposition: Matthew 5:5 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:6
Greek
μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.makarioi oi peinontes kai dipsontes ten dikaiosynen, oti aytoi chortasthesontai.
KJV: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
AKJV: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
ASV: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
YLT: `Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness--because they shall be filled.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:6Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:6
Verse 6 They which do hunger and thirst - As the body has its natural appetites of hunger and thirst for the food and drink suited to its nourishment, so has the soul. No being is indestructible or unfailing in its nature but God; no being is independent but him: as the body depends for its nourishment, health, and strength upon the earth, so does the soul upon heaven. Heavenly things cannot support the body; they are not suited to its nature: earthly things cannot support the soul, for the same reason. When the uneasy sensation termed hunger takes place in the stomach, we know we must get food or perish. When the soul is awakened to a tense of its wants, and begins to hunger and thirst after righteousness or holiness, which is its proper food, we know that it must be purified by the Holy Spirit, and be made a partaker of that living bread, Joh 8:48, or perish everlastingly. Now, as God never inspires a prayer but with a design to answer it, he who hungers and thirsts after the full salvation of God, may depend on being speedily and effectually blessed or satisfied, well-fed, as the word χορτασθησονται implies. Strong and intense desire after any object has been, both by poets and orators, represented metaphorically by hunger and thirst. See the well-known words of Virgil, Aeneid iii. 55. - Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, Auri sacra Fames! "O cursed hunger after gold! what canst thou not influence the hearts of men to perpetrate?" How frequently do we find, inexplebilis honorum Fames-Sitiens virtutis-famae Situs, the insatiable hunger after honor, a thirst for virtue, thirst after fame, and such like! Righteousness here is taken for all the blessings of the new covenant - all the graces of the Messiah's kingdom - a full restoration to the image of God!
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:6
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Joh 8:48
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Ray
- Holy Spirit
- Now
- Virgil
- Situs
Exposition: Matthew 5:6 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:7
Greek
μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται.makarioi oi eleemones, oti aytoi eleethesontai.
KJV: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
AKJV: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
ASV: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
YLT: `Happy the kind--because they shall find kindness.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:7Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:7
Verse 7 The merciful - The word mercy, among the Jews, signified two things: the pardon of injuries, and almsgiving. Our Lord undoubtedly takes it in its fullest latitude here. To know the nature of mercy, we have only to consult the grammatical meaning of the Latin word misericordia, from which ours is derived. It is composed of two words: miserans, pitying, and cor, the heart; or miseria cordis, pain of heart. Mercy supposes two things: 1. A distressed object: and, 2. A disposition of the heart, through which it is affected at the sight of such an object. This virtue, therefore, is no other than a lively emotion of the heart, which is excited by the discovery of any creature's misery; and such an emotion as manifests itself outwardly, by effects suited to its nature. The merciful man is here termed by our Lord ελεημων, from ελεος, which is generally derived from the Hebrew חיל chil, to be in pain, as a woman in travail: or from ילל galal, to cry, or lament grievously; because a merciful man enters into the miseries of his neighbor, feels for and mourns with him. They shall obtain mercy - Mercy is not purchased but at the price of mercy itself; and even this price is a gift of the mercy of God. What mercy can those vindictive persons expect, who forgive nothing, and are always ready to improve every advantage they have of avenging themselves? Whatever mercy a man shows to another, God will take care to show the same to him. The following elegant and nervous saying of one of our best poets is worthy of the reader's most serious attention: - "The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed; It blesseth him who gives, and him who takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown It is an attribute of God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's, When mercy seasons justice. - Though justice be thy plea, consider this, That, in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy. - Why, all the souls that are, were forfeit once: And he who might the 'vantage best have took Found out the remedy. How would you be, If He who is the top of judgment should But judge you as you are? O! think on that; And mercy then will breathe within your lips, Like man, new made How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none?" In the tract Shabbath, fol. 151, there is a saying very like this of our Lord. "He who shows mercy to men, God will show mercy to him: but to him who shows no mercy to man, God will show no mercy.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:7
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Ray
- Jews
- That
- Why
- Shabbath
- Lord
Exposition: Matthew 5:7 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:8
Greek
μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται.makarioi oi katharoi te kardia, oti aytoi ton theon opsontai.
KJV: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
AKJV: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
ASV: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
YLT: `Happy the clean in heart--because they shall see God.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:8Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:8
Verse 8 Pure in heart - In opposition to the Pharisees, who affected outward purity, while their hearts were full of corruption and defilement. A principal part of the Jewish religion consisted in outward washings and cleansings: on this ground they expected to see God, to enjoy eternal glory: but Christ here shows that a purification of the heart, from all vile affections and desires, is essentially requisite in order to enter into the kingdom of God. He whose soul is not delivered from all sin, through the blood of the covenant, can have no Scriptural hope of ever being with God. There is a remarkable illustration of this passage, quoted by Mr. Wakefield from Origen, Contra Cels. lib. vi. "God has no body, and therefore is invisible: but men of contemplation can discern him with the heart and understanding. But A Defiled Heart Cannot See God: but He Must Be Pure Who Wishes to Enjoy a Proper View of a Pure Being." Shall see God - This is a Hebraism, which signifies, possess God, enjoy his felicity: as seeing a thing, was used among the Hebrews for possessing it. See Psa 16:10. Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption, i.e. he shall not be corrupted. So Joh 3:3 : Except a man be born again, he cannot See the kingdom of God, i.e. he cannot enjoy it. So Joh 3:16. He that believeth not the Son, shall not See life, i. e shall not be put in possession of eternal glory. The Hindoo idolaters vainly boast of what the genuine followers of Christ actually enjoy - having the Divine favor witnessed to their souls by the Holy Spirit. The Hindoos pretend that some of their sages have been favored with a sight of their guardian deity. - See Ward's Customs. Probably our Lord alludes to the advantages those had, who were legally pure, of entering into the sanctuary, into the presence of God, while those who had contracted any legal defilement were excluded from it. This also was obviously typical.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:8
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Joh 3:3
- Joh 3:16
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Pharisees
- Mr
- Origen
- Contra Cels
- Cannot See God
- Pure Being
- Hebraism
- Son
- Holy Spirit
- Customs
Exposition: Matthew 5:8 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:9
Greek
μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται.makarioi oi eirenopoioi, oti aytoi yioi theoy klethesontai.
KJV: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
AKJV: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
ASV: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
YLT: `Happy the peacemakers--because they shall be called Sons of God.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:9Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:9
Verse 9 The peace-makers - Ειρηνη, peace, is compounded of ειρειν (εις) ἑν, connecting into one: for as War distracts and divides nations, families, and individuals, from each other, inducing them to pursue different objects and different interests, so Peace restores them to a state of unity, giving them one object, and one interest. A peace-maker is a man who, being endowed with a generous public spirit, labors for the public good, and feels his own interest promoted in promoting that of others: therefore, instead of fanning the fire of strife, he uses his influence and wisdom to reconcile the contending parties, adjust their differences, and restore them to a state of unity. As all men are represented to be in a state of hostility to God and each other, the Gospel is called the Gospel of peace, because it tends to reconcile men to God and to each other. Hence our Lord here terms peace-makers the children of God: for as he is the Father of peace, those who promote it are reputed his children. But whose children are they who foment divisions in the Church, the state, or among families? Surely they are not of that God, who is the Father of peace, and lover of concord; of that Christ, who is the sacrifice and mediator of it; of that Spirit, who is the nourisher and bond of peace; nor of that Church of the Most High, which is the kingdom and family of peace. St. Clement, Strom. lib. iv. s. 6, in fin. says, that "Some who transpose the Gospels add this verse: Happy they who are persecuted by justice, for they shall be perfect: happy they who are persecuted on my account, for they shall have a place where they shall not be persecuted."
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:9
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Church
- Christ
- Most High
- St
- Clement
- Strom
Exposition: Matthew 5:9 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:10
Greek
μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.makarioi oi dediogmenoi eneken dikaiosynes, oti ayton estin e basileia ton oyranon.
KJV: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
AKJV: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
ASV: Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
YLT: `Happy those persecuted for righteousness' sake--because theirs is the reign of the heavens.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:10Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:10
Verse 10 They which are persecuted - Δεδιωγμενοι, they who are hard pressed upon and pursued with repeated acts of enmity. Parkhurst. They are happy who suffer, seems a strange saying: and that the righteous should suffer, merely because they are such, seems as strange. But such is the enmity of the human heart to every thing of God and goodness, that all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution in one form or other. As the religion of Christ gives no quarter to vice, so the vicious will give no quarter to this religion, or to its professors. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven - That spiritual kingdom, explained Mat 3:2, and that kingdom of glory which is its counterpart and consequence.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:10
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 3:2
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Jesus
- Parkhurst
Exposition: Matthew 5:10 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:11
Greek
μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν ⸀πονηρὸν καθʼ ὑμῶν ψευδόμενοι ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ.makarioi este otan oneidisosin ymas kai dioxosin kai eiposin pan poneron kath ymon pseydomenoi eneken emoy.
KJV: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
AKJV: Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
ASV: Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
YLT: `Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake--
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:11Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:11
Verse 11 When men shall revile you, and persecute - The persecution mentioned in the preceding verse comprehends all outward acts of violence - all that the hand can do. This comprehends all calumny, slander, etc., all that the tongue can effect. But as διωκειν, which we render to persecute, is a forensic term, and signifies legal persecutions and public accusations, which, though totally unsubstantiated, were the means of destroying multitudes of the primitive Christians, our Lord probably refers to such. No Protestant can think, without horror, of the great numbers burnt alive in this country, on such accusations, under the popish reign of her who is emphatically called Bloody Queen Mary.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:11
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Christians
- Bloody Queen Mary
Exposition: Matthew 5:11 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:12
Greek
χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν.chairete kai agalliasthe, oti o misthos ymon polys en tois oyranois· oytos gar edioxan toys prophetas toys pro ymon.
KJV: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
AKJV: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. ¶
ASV: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
YLT: rejoice ye and be glad, because your reward is great in the heavens, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:12Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:12
Verse 12 Rejoice - In the testimony of a good conscience; for, without this, suffering has nothing but misery in it. Be exceeding glad - Αγαλλιασθε, leap for joy. There are several cases on record, where this was literally done by the martyrs, in Queen Mary's days. Great is your reward in heaven - In the Talmudical tract Pirkey Aboth, are these words: "Rabbi Tarpon said, The day is short: the work is great: the laborers are slow: the Reward Is Great: and the father of the family is urgent." The followers of Christ are encouraged to suffer joyfully on two considerations. 1. They are thereby conformed to the prophets who went before. 2. Their reward in heaven is a great one. God gives the grace to suffer, and then crowns that grace with glory; hence it is plain, the reward is not of debt, but of grace: Rom 6:23.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:12
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Rom 6:23
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Pirkey Aboth
- Reward Is Great
Exposition: Matthew 5:12 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:13
Greek
Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται; εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι εἰ μὴ ⸂βληθὲν ἔξω⸃ καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.Ymeis este to alas tes ges· ean de to alas moranthe, en tini alisthesetai; eis oyden ischyei eti ei me blethen exo katapateisthai ypo ton anthropon.
KJV: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
AKJV: You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his flavor, with which shall it be salted? it is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
ASV: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.
YLT: `Ye are the salt of the land, but if the salt may lose savour, in what shall it be salted? for nothing is it good henceforth, except to be cast without, and to be trodden down by men.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:13Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:13
Verse 13 Ye are the salt of the earth - Our Lord shows here what the preachers of the Gospel, and what all who profess to follow him, should be; the salt of the earth, to preserve the world from putrefaction and destruction. See the note on Lev 2:13. But if the salt have lost his savor - That this is possible in the land of Judea, we have proof from Mr. Maundrell, who, describing the Valley of Salt, speaks thus: "Along, on one side of the valley, toward Gibul, there is a small precipice about two men's lengths, occasioned by the continual taking away of the salt; and, in this, you may see how the veins of it lie. I broke a piece of it, of which that part that was exposed to the rain, sun, and air, though it had the sparks and particles of salt, Yet It Had Perfectly Lost Its Savour: the inner part, which was connected to the rock, retained its savor, as I found by proof." See his Trav., 5th edit., last page. A preacher, or private Christian, who has lost the life of Christ, and the witness of his Spirit, out of his soul, may be likened to this salt. He may have the sparks and glittering particles of true wisdom, but without its unction or comfort. Only that which is connected with the rock, the soul that is in union with Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit, can preserve its savor, and be instrumental of good to others. To be trodden underfoot - There was a species of salt in Judea, which was generated at the lake Asphaltites, and hence called bituminous salt, easily rendered vapid, and of no other use but to be spread in a part of the temple, to prevent slipping in wet weather. This is probably what our Lord alludes to in this place. The existence of such a salt, and its application to such a use, Schoettgenius has largely proved in his Horae Hebraicae, vol. i. p. 18, etc.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:13
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Lev 2:13
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Jesus
- Gospel
- Judea
- Mr
- Maundrell
- Salt
- Along
- Gibul
- Lost Its Savour
- Trav
- Christian
- Christ
- Holy Spirit
- Asphaltites
- Horae Hebraicae
Exposition: Matthew 5:13 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:14
Greek
Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη·Ymeis este to phos toy kosmoy. oy dynatai polis krybenai epano oroys keimene·
KJV: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
AKJV: You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
ASV: Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
YLT: `Ye are the light of the world, a city set upon a mount is not able to be hid;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:14Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:14
Verse 14 Ye are the light of the world - That is, the instruments which God chooses to make use of to illuminate the minds of men; as he uses the sun (to which probably he pointed) to enlighten the world. Light of the world, נר עולם ner olam, was a title applied to the most eminent rabbins. Christ transfers the title from these, and gives it to his own disciples, who, by the doctrines that he taught them, were to be the means of diffusing the light of life throughout the universe. A city that is set on a hill - This place may receive light from the following passage in Maundrell's Travels. "A few points toward the north (of Tabor) appears that which they call the Mount of Beatitudes, a small rising, from which our blessed Savior delivered his sermon in the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew. (See the note on Mat 5:5). Not far from this little hill is the city Saphet, supposed to be the ancient Bethulia. It stands upon a very eminent and conspicuous mountain, and is Seen Far and Near. May we not suppose that Christ alludes to this city, in these words of his, A city set on a hill cannot be hid?" p. 115. Quesnell remarks here: "The Christian life is something very high and sublime, to which we cannot arrive without pains: while it withdraws us from the earth, and carries us nearer heaven, it places us in view, and as a mark, to the malice of carnal men."
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:14
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 5:5
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Travels
- Beatitudes
- Matthew
- Saphet
- Bethulia
- Near
Exposition: Matthew 5:14 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:15
Greek
οὐδὲ καίουσιν λύχνον καὶ τιθέασιν αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν, καὶ λάμπει πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ.oyde kaioysin lychnon kai titheasin ayton ypo ton modion all epi ten lychnian, kai lampei pasin tois en te oikia.
KJV: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
AKJV: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all that are in the house.
ASV: Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.
YLT: nor do they light a lamp, and put it under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, and it shineth to all those in the house;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:15Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:15
Verse 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel - A bushel μοδιος: - a measure both among the Greeks and Romans, containing a little more than a peck English. From some ancient writers we learn, that only those who had bad designs hid a candle under a bushel; that, in the dead of the night, when all were asleep, they might rise up, and have light at hand to help them to effect their horrid purposes of murder, etc. See Wetstein, Kypke, Wolf, etc.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:15
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Romans
- English
- See Wetstein
- Kypke
- Wolf
Exposition: Matthew 5:15 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:16
Greek
οὕτως λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσιν τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.oytos lampsato to phos ymon emprosthen ton anthropon, opos idosin ymon ta kala erga kai doxasosin ton patera ymon ton en tois oyranois.
KJV: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
AKJV: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ¶
ASV: Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
YLT: so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who is in the heavens.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:16Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:16
Verse 16 Let your light so shine - Or more literally, Thus let your light shine, Ουτω λαμψατω το φως. As the sun is lighted up in the firmament of heaven to diffuse its light and heat freely to every inhabitant of the earth; and as the lamp is not set under the bushel, but placed upon the lamp-stand that it may give light to all in the house; Thus let every follower of Christ, and especially every preacher of the Gospel, diffuse the light of heavenly knowledge, and the warmth of Divine love through the whole circle of their acquaintance. That they may see your good works - It is not sufficient to have light - we must walk in the light, and by the light. Our whole conduct should be a perpetual comment on the doctrine we have received, and a constant exemplification of its power and truth. And glorify your Father - The following curious saying is found in Bammidbar Rabba, s. 15. "The Israelites said to the holy blessed God, Thou commandest us to light lamps to thee; and yet thou art the, Light of the world, and with thee the light dwelleth. The holy blessed God answered, I do not command this because I need light; but that you may reflect light upon me, as I have illuminated you: - that the people may say, Behold, how the Israelites illustrate him, who illuminates them in the sight of the whole earth." See more in Schoettgen. Real Christians are the children of God - they are partakers of his holy and happy nature: they should ever be concerned for their Father's honor, and endeavor so to recommend him, and his salvation, that others may be prevailed on to come to the light, and walk in it. Then God is said to be glorified, when the glorious power of his grace is manifested in the salvation of men.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:16
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Christ
- Gospel
- Bammidbar Rabba
- Behold
- Schoettgen
Exposition: Matthew 5:16 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:17
Greek
Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι·Me nomisete oti elthon katalysai ton nomon e toys prophetas· oyk elthon katalysai alla plerosai·
KJV: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
AKJV: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
ASV: Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil.
YLT: `Do not suppose that I came to throw down the law or the prophets--I did not come to throw down, but to fulfil;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:17Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:17
Verse 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law - Do not imagine that I am come to violate the law καταλυσαι, from κατα, and λυω, I loose, violate, or dissolve - I am not come to make the law of none effect - to dissolve the connection which subsists between its several parts, or the obligation men are under to have their lives regulated by its moral precepts; nor am I come to dissolve the connecting reference it has to the good things promised. But I am come, πληρωσαι, to complete - to perfect its connection and reference, to accomplish every thing shadowed forth in the Mosaic ritual, to fill up its great design; and to give grace to all my followers, πληρωσαι, to fill up, or complete, every moral duty. In a word, Christ completed the law: 1st. In itself, it was only the shadow, the typical representation, of good things to come; and he added to it that which was necessary to make it perfect, His Own Sacrifice, without which it could neither satisfy God, nor sanctify men. 2dly. He completed it in himself by submitting to its types with an exact obedience, and verifying them by his death upon the cross. 3dly. He completes this law, and the sayings of his prophets, in his members, by giving them grace to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and their neighbor as themselves; for this is all the law and the prophets. It is worthy of observation, that the word גמר gamar, among the rabbins, signifies not only to fulfill, but also to teach; and, consequently, we may infer that our Lord intimated, that the law and the prophets were still to be taught or inculcated by him and his disciples; and this he and they have done in the most pointed manner. See the Gospels and epistles; and see especially this sermon on the mount, the Epistle of James, and the Epistle to the Hebrews. And this meaning of the word gives the clear sense of the apostle's words, Col 1:25. Whereof I am made a minister, πληρωσαι τον λογον του Θεου, to fulfill the word of God, i.e. to teach the doctrine of God.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:17
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Col 1:25
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- His Own Sacrifice
- James
- Hebrews
Exposition: Matthew 5:17 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:18
Greek
ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.amen gar lego ymin, eos an parelthe o oyranos kai e ge, iota en e mia keraia oy me parelthe apo toy nomoy, eos an panta genetai.
KJV: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
AKJV: For truly I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one stroke or one pronunciation mark shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
ASV: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.
YLT: for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:18Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:18
Verse 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven - In the very commencement of his ministry, Jesus Christ teaches the instability of all visible things. "The heaven which you see, and which is so glorious, and the earth which you inhabit and love, shall pass away; for the things which are seen are temporal, προσκαιρα, are for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal αιωνια, ever-during," 2Cor 4:18. And the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. One jot or one tittle - One yod, (י), the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. One tittle or point, κεραια, either meaning those points which serve for vowels in this language, if they then existed; or the seraphs, or points of certain letters, such as ר resh, or ד daleth, ה he, or ח cheth (as the change of any of these into the other would make a most essential alteration in the sense, or, as the rabbins say, destroy the world). Or our Lord may refer to the little ornaments which certain letters assume on their tops, which cause them to appear like small branches. The following letters only can assume coronal apices, ץ tsaddi - ג gimel - ז zain - נ nun - ט teth - ע ayin - ש shin. These, with the coronal apices, often appear in MSS. That this saying, one jot or one tittle, is a proverbial mode of expression among the Jews, and that it expressed the meaning given to it above, is amply proved by the extracts in Lightfoot and Schoettgen. The reader will not be displeased to find a few of them here, if he can bear with the allegorical and strongly figurative language of the rabbins. "The book of Deuteronomy came and prostrated itself before the Lord, and said: 'O Lord of the world, thou hast written in me thy law; but now, a Testament defective in some parts is defective in all. Behold, Solomon endeavors to root the letter yod out of me.' (In this text, Deu 17:5. לא ירבה נשים lo yirbeh, nashim, he shall not multiply wives). The holy blessed God answered, 'Solomon and a thousand such as he shall perish, but the least word shall not perish out of thee.'" In Shir Hashirim Rabba, are these words: "Should all the inhabitants of the earth gather together, in order to whiten one feather of a crow, they could not succeed: so, if all the inhabitants of the earth should unite to abolish one י yod, which is the smallest letter in the whole law, they should not be able to effect it." In Vayikra Rabba, s. 19, it is said: "Should any person in the words of Deu 6:4, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is אחד achad, One Lord, change the ד daleth into a ר resh, he would ruin the world." [Because, in that case, the word אחר achar, would signify a strange or false God]. "Should any one, in the words of Exo 34:14, Thou shalt worship no Other, אחר achar, God, change ר resh into ד daleth, he would ruin the world." [Because the command would then run, Thou shalt not worship the Only or true God]. "Should any one in the words of Lev 22:32, Neither shall ye Profane תחללו techelelu, my holy name, change ח cheth into ה he, he would ruin the world." [Because the sense of the commandment would then be, Neither shall ye Praise my holy name]. "Should any one, in the words of Psa 150:6, Let every thing that hath breath Praise, תהלל tehalel, the Lord, change ה, he into ח cheth, he would ruin the world." [Because the command would then run, Let every thing that hath breath Profane the Lord]. "Should any one, in the words of Jer 5:10, They lied Against the Lord, ביהוה beihovah, change ב beth into כ caph, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would run, They lied Like the Lord]. "Should any one, in the words of Hosea, Hos 5:7, They have dealt treacherously, ביהוה beihovah, Against the Lord, change ב beth into כ caph, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would run, They have dealt treacherously Like the Lord]. "Should any one, in the words of 1Sam 2:2, There is none holy As the Lord, change כ caph into ב beth, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would mean, There is no holiness In the Lord]. These examples fully prove that the μια κεραια of our Lord, refers to the apices, points, or corners, that distinguish ב beth from כ caph; ח cheth from ה he; and ר resh from ד daleth. For the reader will at once perceive, how easily a כ caph may be turned into a ב beth; a ה he into a ח cheth; and a ר resh into a ד daleth: and he will also see of what infinite consequence it is to write and print such letters correctly. Till all be fulfilled - Or, accomplished. Though all earth and hell should join together to hinder the accomplishment of the great designs of the Most High, yet it shall all be in vain - even the sense of a single letter shall not be lost. The words of God, which point out his designs, are as unchangeable as his nature itself. Every sinner, who perseveres in his iniquity, shall surely be punished with separation from God and the glory of his power; and every soul that turns to God, through Christ, shall as surely be saved, as that Jesus himself hath died.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:18
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- 2Cor 4:18
- Lev 22:32
- Jer 5:10
- Hos 5:7
- 1Sam 2:2
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Jesus
- These
- Jews
- Schoettgen
- Lord
- Behold
- Shir Hashirim Rabba
- In Vayikra Rabba
- Hear
- Israel
- One Lord
- Because
- Other
- Praise
- Hosea
- Or
- Most High
- Christ
Exposition: Matthew 5:18 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:19
Greek
ὃς ἐὰν οὖν λύσῃ μίαν τῶν ἐντολῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων καὶ διδάξῃ οὕτως τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἐλάχιστος κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν· ὃς δʼ ἂν ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν.os ean oyn lyse mian ton entolon toyton ton elachiston kai didaxe oytos toys anthropoys, elachistos klethesetai en te basileia ton oyranon· os d an poiese kai didaxe, oytos megas klethesetai en te basileia ton oyranon.
KJV: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
AKJV: Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, 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.
ASV: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
YLT: `Whoever therefore may loose one of these commands--the least--and may teach men so, least he shall be called in the reign of the heavens, but whoever may do and may teach them , he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:19Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:19
Verse 19 Whosoever - shall break one of these least commandments - The Pharisees were remarkable for making a distinction between weightier and lighter matters in the law, and between what has been called, in a corrupt part of the Christian Church, mortal and venial sins. See on Mat 22:36 (note). Whosoever shall break. What an awful consideration is this! He who, by his mode of acting, speaking, or explaining the words of God, sets the holy precept aside, or explains away its force and meaning, shall be called least - shall have no place in the kingdom of Christ here, nor in the kingdom of glory above. That this is the meaning of these words is evident enough from the following verse.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:19
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 22:36
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Christian Church
Exposition: Matthew 5:19 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:20
Greek
λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ⸂ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη⸃ πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.lego gar ymin oti ean me perisseyse ymon e dikaiosyne pleion ton grammateon kai Pharisaion, oy me eiselthete eis ten basileian ton oyranon.
KJV: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
AKJV: For I say to you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. ¶
ASV: For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
YLT: `For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:20Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:20
Verse 20 Except your righteousness shall exceed - περισσευση, Unless your righteousness abound more - unless it take in, not only the letter, but the spirit and design of the moral and ritual precept; the one directing you how to walk so as to please God; the other pointing out Christ, the great Atonement, through and by which a sinner is enabled to do so - more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, who only attend to the letter of the law, and had indeed made even that of no effect by their traditions - ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. This fully explains the meaning of the preceding verse. The old English word is right-wiseness, i.e. complete, thorough, excellent Wisdom. For a full explanation of this verse, see Luk 18:10, etc.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:20
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Christ
- Atonement
- Pharisees
- Wisdom
Exposition: Matthew 5:20 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:21
Greek
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις· Οὐ φονεύσεις· ὃς δʼ ἂν φονεύσῃ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει.Ekoysate oti errethe tois archaiois· Oy phoneyseis· os d an phoneyse, enochos estai te krisei.
KJV: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
AKJV: You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
ASV: Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
YLT: `Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill, and whoever may kill shall be in danger of the judgment;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:21Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:21
Verse 21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time - τοις αρχαιοις, to or by the ancients. By the ancients, we may understand those who lived before the law, and those who lived under it; for murder was, in the most solemn manner, forbidden before, as well as under, the law, Gen 9:5, Gen 9:6. But it is very likely that our Lord refers here merely to traditions and glosses relative to the ancient Mosaic ordinance; and such as, by their operation, rendered the primitive command of little or no effect. Murder from the beginning has been punished with death; and it is, probably, the only crime that should be punished with death. There is much reason to doubt, whether the punishment of death, inflicted for any other crime, is not in itself murder, whatever the authority may be that has instituted it. God, and the greatest legislators that have ever been in the universe, are of the same opinion. See Montesquieu, Blackstone, and the Marquis Beccaria, and the arguments and testimonies lately produced by Sir Samuel Romilly, in his motion for the amendment of the criminal laws of this kingdom. It is very remarkable, that the criminal code published by Joseph II., late emperor of Germany, though it consists of seventy-one capital crimes, has not death attached to any of them. Even murder, with all intention to rob, is punished only with "imprisonment for thirty years, to lie on the floor, to have no nourishment but bread and water, to be closely chained, and to be publicly whipped once a year, with less than one hundred lashes." See Colquhoun on the Police of the City of London, p. 272.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:21
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Gen 9:5
- Gen 9:6
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- See Montesquieu
- Blackstone
- Marquis Beccaria
- Sir Samuel Romilly
- Germany
- London
Exposition: Matthew 5:21 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:22
Greek
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ ⸀αὐτοῦ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει· ὃς δʼ ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ· Ῥακά, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ συνεδρίῳ· ὃς δʼ ἂν εἴπῃ· Μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός.ego de lego ymin oti pas o orgizomenos to adelpho aytoy enochos estai te krisei· os d an eipe to adelpho aytoy· Raka, enochos estai to synedrio· os d an eipe· More, enochos estai eis ten geennan toy pyros.
KJV: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
AKJV: But I say to you, That whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
ASV: but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.
YLT: but I--I say to you, that every one who is angry at his brother without cause, shall be in danger of the judgment, and whoever may say to his brother, Empty fellow! shall be in danger of the sanhedrim, and whoever may say, Rebel! shall be in danger of the gehenna of the fire.
Commentary Witness (Generated)Matthew 5:22Generated editorial synthesis
Commentary Witness (Generated)
Matthew 5:22
Matthew 5:22 advances the immediate literary flow of the chapter and should be interpreted in its canonical context, not as an isolated proof text. In the present translation it reads: 'But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.'. A close Koine Greek reading supports attention to key lexical choices, clause movement, and redemptive-historical placement so doctrinal conclusions remain textually grounded.
Provenance. Rendered as an editorial synthesis tied to the canonical verse context and current chapter source.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:22
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Matthew 5:22
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Raca
Exposition: Matthew 5:22 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell...'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:23
Greek
ἐὰν οὖν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ,ean oyn prospheres to doron soy epi to thysiasterion kakei mnesthes oti o adelphos soy echei ti kata soy,
KJV: Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
AKJV: Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you;
ASV: If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee,
YLT: `If, therefore, thou mayest bring thy gift to the altar, and there mayest remember that thy brother hath anything against thee,
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:23Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:23
Verse 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift - Evil must be nipped in the bud. An unkind thought of another may be the foundation of that which leads to actual murder. A Christian, properly speaking, cannot be an enemy to any man; nor is he to consider any man his enemy, without the fullest evidence: for surmises to the prejudice of another can never rest in the bosom of him who has the love of God in his heart, for to him all men are brethren. He sees all men as children of God, and members of Christ, or at least capable of becoming such. If a tender forgiving spirit was required, even in a Jew, when he approached God's altar with a bullock or a lamb, how much more necessary is this in a man who professes to be a follower of the Lamb of God; especially when he receives the symbols of that Sacrifice which was offered for the life of the world, in what is commonly called the sacrament of the Lord's supper!
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:23
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Christian
- Christ
- Jew
Exposition: Matthew 5:23 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:24
Greek
ἄφες ἐκεῖ τὸ δῶρόν σου ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου καὶ ὕπαγε πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, καὶ τότε ἐλθὼν πρόσφερε τὸ δῶρόν σου.aphes ekei to doron soy emprosthen toy thysiasterioy kai ypage proton diallagethi to adelpho soy, kai tote elthon prosphere to doron soy.
KJV: Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
AKJV: Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
ASV: leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
YLT: leave there thy gift before the altar, and go--first be reconciled to thy brother, and then having come bring thy gift.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:24Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:24
Verse 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar - This is as much as to say, "Do not attempt to bring any offering to God while thou art in a spirit of enmity against any person; or hast any difference with thy neighbor, which thou hast not used thy diligence to get adjusted." It is our duty and interest, both to bring our gift, and offer it too; but God will not accept of any act of religious worship from us, while any enmity subsists in our hearts towards any soul of man; or while any subsists in our neighbor's heart towards us, which we have not used the proper means to remove. A religion, the very essence of which is love, cannot suffer at its altars a heart that is revengeful and uncharitable, or which does not use its utmost endeavors to revive love in the heart of another. The original word, δωρον, which we translate gift, is used by the rabbins in Hebrew letters דורון doron, which signifies not only a gift, but a sacrifice offered to God. See several proofs in Schoettgen. Then come and offer thy gift - Then, when either thy brother is reconciled to thee, or thou hast done all in thy power to effect this reconciliation. My own obstinacy and uncharitableness must render me utterly unfit to receive any good from God's hands, or to worship him in an acceptable manner; bat the wickedness of another can be no hinderance to me, when I have endeavored earnestly to get it removed, though without effect.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:24
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Schoettgen
- Then
Exposition: Matthew 5:24 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:25
Greek
ἴσθι εὐνοῶν τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου ταχὺ ἕως ὅτου εἶ ⸂μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ⸃, μήποτέ σε παραδῷ ὁ ἀντίδικος τῷ κριτῇ, καὶ ὁ ⸀κριτὴς τῷ ὑπηρέτῃ, καὶ εἰς φυλακὴν βληθήσῃ·isthi eynoon to antidiko soy tachy eos otoy ei met aytoy en te odo, mepote se parado o antidikos to krite, kai o krites to yperete, kai eis phylaken blethese·
KJV: Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
AKJV: Agree with your adversary quickly, whiles you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
ASV: 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.
YLT: `Be agreeing with thy opponent quickly, while thou art in the way with him, that the opponent may not deliver thee to the judge, and the judge may deliver thee to the officer, and to prison thou mayest be cast,
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:25Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:25
Verse 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly - Adversary, αντιδικος, properly a plaintiff in law - a perfect law term. Our Lord enforces the exhortation given in the preceding verses, from the consideration of what was deemed prudent in ordinary law-suits. In such cases, men should make up matters with the utmost speed, as running through the whole course of a law-suit must not only be vexatious, but be attended with great expense; and in the end, though the loser may be ruined, yet the gainer has nothing. A good use of this very prudential advice of our Lord is this: Thou art a sinner; God hath a controversy with thee. There is but a step between thee and death. Now is the accepted time. Thou art invited to return to God by Christ Jesus. Come immediately at his call, and he will save thy soul. Delay not! Eternity is at hand; and if thou die in thy sins, where God is thou shalt never come. Those who make the adversary, God; the judge, Christ; the officer, Death; and the prison, Hell, abuse the passage, and highly dishonor God.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:25
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Jesus
- Adversary
- Christ Jesus
- Christ
- Death
- Hell
Exposition: Matthew 5:25 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:26
Greek
ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν ἕως ἂν ἀποδῷς τὸν ἔσχατον κοδράντην.amen lego soi, oy me exelthes ekeithen eos an apodos ton eschaton kodranten.
KJV: Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
AKJV: Truly I say to you, You shall by no means come out there, till you have paid the uttermost farthing. ¶
ASV: Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.
YLT: verily I say to thee, thou mayest not come forth thence till that thou mayest pay the last farthing.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:26Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:26
Verse 26 The uttermost farthing - Κοδραντην. The rabbins have this Greek word corrupted into קרדיונטסס kordiontes, and קונטריק, kontrik, and say, that two פרוטות prutoth make a kontarik, which is exactly the same with those words in Mar 12:42, λεπτα δυο, ο εστι κοδραντης, two mites, which are one farthing. Hence it appears that the λεπτον lepton was the same as the prutah. The weight of the prutah was half a barley-corn, and it was the smallest coin among the Jews, as the kodrantes, or farthing, was the smallest coin among the Romans. If the matter issue in law, strict justice will be done, and your creditor be allowed the fullness of his just claim; but if; while you are on the way, going to the magistrate, you come to a friendly agreement with him, he will relax in his claims, take a part for the whole, and the composition be, in the end, both to his and your profit. This text has been considered a proper foundation on which to build not only the doctrine of a purgatory, but also that of universal restoration. But the most unwarrantable violence must be used before it can be pressed into the service of either of the above antiscriptural doctrines. At the most, the text can only be considered as a metaphorical representation of the procedure of the great Judge; and let it ever be remembered, that by the general consent of all (except the basely interested) no metaphor is ever to be produced in proof of any doctrine. In the things that concern our eternal salvation, we need the most pointed and express evidence on which to establish the faith of our souls.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:26
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Jews
- Romans
- Judge
Exposition: Matthew 5:26 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:27
Greek
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη· Οὐ μοιχεύσεις.Ekoysate oti errethe· Oy moicheyseis.
KJV: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
AKJV: You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery:
ASV: Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
YLT: `Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not commit adultery;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:27Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:27
Verse 27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old - By the ancients, τοις αρχαιοις, is omitted by nearly a hundred MSS., and some of them of the very greatest antiquity and authority; also by the Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Gothic, and Sclavonian versions; by four copies of the old Itala; and by Origen, Cyril, Theophylact, Euthymius, and Hilary. On this authority Wetstein and Griesbach have left it out of the text.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:27
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Coptic
- Ethiopic
- Armenian
- Gothic
- Itala
- Origen
- Cyril
- Theophylact
- Euthymius
- Hilary
Exposition: Matthew 5:27 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:28
Greek
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὴν ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ.ego de lego ymin oti pas o blepon gynaika pros to epithymesai ayten ede emoicheysen ayten en te kardia aytoy.
KJV: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
AKJV: But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
ASV: 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.
YLT: but I--I say to you, that every one who is looking on a woman to desire her, did already commit adultery with her in his heart.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:28Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:28
Verse 28 Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her - Επιθυμησαι αυτην, earnestly to covet her. The verb, επιθυμεω, is undoubtedly used here by our Lord, in the sense of coveting through the influence of impure desire. The word is used in precisely the same sense, on the same subject, by Herodotus, book the first, near the end. I will give the passage, but I dare not translate it. To the learned reader it will justify my translation, and the unlearned must take my word. Της ΕΠΙΘΥΜΗΣΕΙ γυναικος Μασσαγετης ανηρ, μισγεται αδεως, Raphelius, on this verse, says, επιθυμειν hoc loco, est turpi cupiditate mulieris potiundae flagrare. In all these eases, our blessed Lord points out the spirituality of the law; which was a matter to which the Jews paid very little attention. Indeed it is the property of a Pharisee to abstain only from the outward crime. Men are very often less inquisitive to know how far the will of God extends, that they may please him in performing it, than they are to know how far they may satisfy their lusts without destroying their bodies and souls, utterly, by an open violation of his law. Hath committed adultery with her already in his heart - It is the earnest wish or desire of the soul, which, in a variety of cases, constitutes the good or evil of an act. If a man earnestly wish to commit an evil, but cannot, because God puts time, place, and opportunity out of his power, he is fully chargeable with the iniquity of the act, by that God who searches and judges the heart. So, if a man earnestly wish to do some kindness, which it is out of his power to perform, the act is considered as his; because God, in this case, as in that above, takes the will for the deed. If voluntary and deliberate looks and desires make adulterers and adulteresses, how many persons are there whose whole life is one continued crime! whose eyes being full of adultery, they cannot cease from sin, 2Pet 2:14. Many would abhor to commit one external act before the eyes of men, in a temple of stone; and yet they are not afraid to commit a multitude of such acts in the temple of their hearts, and in the sight of God!
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:28
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- 2Pet 2:14
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Lord
- Herodotus
- Raphelius
- So
Exposition: Matthew 5:28 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:29
Greek
εἰ δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ὁ δεξιὸς σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔξελε αὐτὸν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ, συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου βληθῇ εἰς γέενναν.ei de o ophthalmos soy o dexios skandalizei se, exele ayton kai bale apo soy, sympherei gar soi ina apoletai en ton melon soy kai me olon to soma soy blethe eis geennan.
KJV: And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
AKJV: And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
ASV: 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.
YLT: `But, if thy right eye doth cause thee to stumble, pluck it out and cast from thee, for it is good to thee that one of thy members may perish, and not thy whole body be cast to gehenna.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:29Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:29
Verse 29 Pluck it out - cut it off - We must shut our senses against dangerous objects, to avoid the occasions of sin, and deprive ourselves of all that is most dear and profitable to us, in order to save our souls, when we find that these dear and profitable things, however innocent in themselves, cause us to sin against God. It is profitable for thee that one of thy members - Men often part with some members of the body, at the discretion of a surgeon, that they may preserve the trunk, and die a little later; and yet they will not deprive themselves of a look, a touch, a small pleasure, which endanger the eternal death of the soul. It is not enough to shut the eye, or stop the hand; the one must be plucked out, and the other cut off. Neither is this enough, we must cast them both from us. Not one moment's truce with an evil passion, or a sinful appetite. If you indulge them, they will gain strength, and you shall be ruined. The rabbins have a saying similar to this: "It is better for thee to be scorched with a little fire in this world, than to be burned with a devouring fire in the world to come."
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:29
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Exposition: Matthew 5:29 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:30
Greek
καὶ εἰ ἡ δεξιά σου χεὶρ σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὴν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ, συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου ⸂εἰς γέενναν ἀπέλθῃ⸃.kai ei e dexia soy cheir skandalizei se, ekkopson ayten kai bale apo soy, sympherei gar soi ina apoletai en ton melon soy kai me olon to soma soy eis geennan apelthe.
KJV: And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
AKJV: And if your right hand offend you, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
ASV: 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.
YLT: `And, if thy right hand doth cause thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast from thee, for it is good to thee that one of thy members may perish, and not thy whole body be cast to gehenna.
Commentary Witness (Generated)Matthew 5:30Generated editorial synthesis
Commentary Witness (Generated)
Matthew 5:30
Matthew 5:30 advances the immediate literary flow of the chapter and should be interpreted in its canonical context, not as an isolated proof text. In the present translation it reads: 'And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.'. A close Koine Greek reading supports attention to key lexical choices, clause movement, and redemptive-historical placement so doctrinal conclusions remain textually grounded.
Provenance. Rendered as an editorial synthesis tied to the canonical verse context and current chapter source.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:30
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Matthew 5:30
Exposition: Matthew 5:30 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:31
Greek
Ἐρρέθη ⸀δέ· Ὃς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, δότω αὐτῇ ἀποστάσιον.Errethe de· Os an apolyse ten gynaika aytoy, doto ayte apostasion.
KJV: It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
AKJV: It has been said, Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce:
ASV: It was said also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
YLT: `And it was said, That whoever may put away his wife, let him give to her a writing of divorce;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:31Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:31
Verse 31 Whosoever shall put away his wife - The Jewish doctors gave great license in the matter of divorce. Among them, a man might divorce his wife if she displeased him even in the dressing of his victuals! Rabbi Akiba said, "If any man saw a woman handsomer than his own wife, he might put his wife away; because it is said in the law, If she find not favor in his eyes." Deu 24:1. Josephus, the celebrated Jewish historian, in his Life, tells us, with the utmost coolness and indifference, "About this time I put away my wife, who had borne me three children, not being pleased with her manners." These two cases are sufficient to show to what a scandalous and criminal excess this matter was carried among the Jews. However, it was allowed by the school of Shammai, that no man was to put away his wife unless for adultery. The school of Hillel gave much greater license. A writing of divorcement - The following is the common form of such a writing. See Maimonides and Lightfoot. "On the day of the week A. in the month B. in the year C. from the beginning of the world, according to the common computation in the province of D., I, N. the son of N. by whatever name I am called, of the city E. with entire consent of mind, and without any compulsion, have divorced, dismissed, and expelled thee - thee, I say, M. the daughter of M. by whatever name thou art called, of the city E. who wast heretofore my wife: but now I have dismissed thee - thee, I say, M. the daughter of M. by whatever name thou art called, of the city E. so as to be free, and at thine own disposal, to marry whomsoever thou pleasest, without hinderance from any one, from this day for ever. Thou art therefore free for any man. Let this be thy bill of divorce from me, a writing of separation and expulsion, according to the law of Moses and Israel. Reuben, son of Jacob, Witness. Eliezar, son of Gilead, Witness." God permitted this evil to prevent a greater; and, perhaps, to typify his repudiating the Jews, who were his first spouse.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:31
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Josephus
- Maimonides
- Moses
- Life
- Jews
- However
- Shammai
- Lightfoot
- Israel
- Reuben
- Jacob
- Witness
- Eliezar
- Gilead
Exposition: Matthew 5:31 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:32
Greek
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ⸂πᾶς ὁ ἀπολύων⸃ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας ποιεῖ αὐτὴν ⸀μοιχευθῆναι, καὶ ὃς ἐὰν ἀπολελυμένην γαμήσῃ μοιχᾶται.ego de lego ymin oti pas o apolyon ten gynaika aytoy parektos logoy porneias poiei ayten moicheythenai, kai os ean apolelymenen gamese moichatai.
KJV: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
AKJV: But I say to you, That whoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery. ¶
ASV: 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.
YLT: but I--I say to you, that whoever may put away his wife, save for the matter of whoredom, doth make her to commit adultery; and whoever may marry her who hath been put away doth commit adultery.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:32Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:32
Verse 32 Saving for the cause of fornication - Λογου πορνειας, on account of whoredom. As fornication signifies no more than the unlawful connection of unmarried persons, it cannot be used here with propriety, when speaking of those who are married. I have therefore translated λογου πορνειας, on account of whoredom. It does not appear that there is any other case in which Jesus Christ admits of divorce. A real Christian ought rather to beg of God the grace to bear patiently and quietly the imperfections of his wife, than to think of the means of being parted from her. "But divorce was allowed by Moses;" yes, for the hardness of their hearts it was permitted: but what was permitted to an uncircumcised heart among the Jews, should not serve for a rule to a heart in which the love of God has been shed abroad by the Holy Spirit. Those who form a matrimonial connection in the fear and love of God, and under his direction, will never need a divorce. But those who marry as passion or money lead the way, may be justly considered adulterers and adulteresses as long as they live.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:32
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Moses
- Jesus
- Jews
- Holy Spirit
Exposition: Matthew 5:32 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:33
Greek
Πάλιν ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις· Οὐκ ἐπιορκήσεις, ἀποδώσεις δὲ τῷ κυρίῳ τοὺς ὅρκους σου.Palin ekoysate oti errethe tois archaiois· Oyk epiorkeseis, apodoseis de to kyrio toys orkoys soy.
KJV: Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
AKJV: Again, you have heard that it has been said by them of old time, You shall not forswear yourself, but shall perform to the Lord your oaths:
ASV: 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:
YLT: `Again, ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not swear falsely, but thou shalt pay to the Lord thine oaths;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:33Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:33
Verse 33 Thou shalt not forswear thyself - They dishonor the great God, and break this commandment, who use frequent oaths and imprecations, even in reference to things that are true; and those who make vows and promises, which they either cannot perform, or do not design to fulfill, are not less criminal. Swearing in civil matters is become so frequent, that the dread and obligation of an oath are utterly lost in it. In certain places, where oaths are frequently administered, people have been known to kiss their thumb or pen, instead of the book, thinking thereby to avoid the sin of perjury; but this is a shocking imposition on their own souls. See the notes on Deu 4:26; Deu 6:13. Perform unto the Lord thine oaths - The morality of the Jews on this point was truly execrable: they maintained, that a man might swear with his lips, and annul it in the same moment in his heart. Rab. Akiba is quoted as an example of this kind of swearing. See Schoettgen.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:33
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Rab
- See Schoettgen
Exposition: Matthew 5:33 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:34
Greek
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ὀμόσαι ὅλως· μήτε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ὅτι θρόνος ἐστὶν τοῦ θεοῦ·ego de lego ymin me omosai olos· mete en to oyrano, oti thronos estin toy theoy·
KJV: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
AKJV: But I say to you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
ASV: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;
YLT: but I--I say to you, not to swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is the throne of God,
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:34Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:34
Verse 34 Neither by heaven, etc. - It was a custom among the Scythians, when they wished to bind themselves in the most solemn manner, to swear by the king's throne; and if the king was at any time sick, they believed it was occasioned by some one's having taken the oath falsely. Herod. l. iv. Who is there among the traders and people of this world who obey this law? A common swearer is constantly perjuring himself: such a person should never be trusted. When we make any promise contrary to the command of God, taking, as a pledge of our sincerity, either God, or something belonging to him, we engage that which is not ours, without the Master's consent. God manifests his glory in heaven, as upon his throne; he imprints the footsteps of his perfections upon the earth, his footstool; and shows that his holiness and his grace reign in his temple as the place of his residence. Let it be our constant care to seek and honor God in all his works.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:34
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Scythians
- Herod
Exposition: Matthew 5:34 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:35
Greek
μήτε ἐν τῇ γῇ, ὅτι ὑποπόδιόν ἐστιν τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ· μήτε εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ὅτι πόλις ἐστὶν τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως·mete en te ge, oti ypopodion estin ton podon aytoy· mete eis Ierosolyma, oti polis estin toy megaloy basileos·
KJV: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
AKJV: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
ASV: nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
YLT: nor by the earth, because it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, because it is a city of a great king,
Commentary Witness (Generated)Matthew 5:35Generated editorial synthesis
Commentary Witness (Generated)
Matthew 5:35
Matthew 5:35 advances the immediate literary flow of the chapter and should be interpreted in its canonical context, not as an isolated proof text. In the present translation it reads: 'Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.'. A close Koine Greek reading supports attention to key lexical choices, clause movement, and redemptive-historical placement so doctrinal conclusions remain textually grounded.
Provenance. Rendered as an editorial synthesis tied to the canonical verse context and current chapter source.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:35
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Matthew 5:35
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Jerusalem
- King
Exposition: Matthew 5:35 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:36
Greek
μήτε ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ σου ὀμόσῃς, ὅτι οὐ δύνασαι μίαν τρίχα λευκὴν ⸂ποιῆσαι ἢ μέλαιναν⸃.mete en te kephale soy omoses, oti oy dynasai mian tricha leyken poiesai e melainan.
KJV: Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
AKJV: Neither shall you swear by your head, because you can not make one hair white or black.
ASV: Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.
YLT: nor by thy head mayest thou swear, because thou art not able one hair to make white or black;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:36Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:36
Verse 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head - For these plain reasons: 1st. God commands thee not to do it. 2dly. Thou hast nothing which is thy own, and thou shouldst not pledge another's property. 3dly. It never did, and never can, answer any good purpose. And 4thly. Being a breach of the law of God, it is the way to everlasting misery.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:36
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Exposition: Matthew 5:36 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:37
Greek
ἔστω δὲ ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ναὶ ναί, οὒ οὔ· τὸ δὲ περισσὸν τούτων ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ ἐστιν.esto de o logos ymon nai nai, oy oy· to de perisson toyton ek toy poneroy estin.
KJV: But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
AKJV: But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatever is more than these comes of evil. ¶
ASV: But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one.
YLT: but let your word be, Yes, Yes, No, No, and that which is more than these is of the evil.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:37Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:37
Verse 37 Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay - That is, a positive affirmation, or negation, according to your knowledge of the matter concerning which you are called to testify. Do not equivocate; mean what you assert, and adhere to your assertion. Hear what a heathen says on this subject: - Εχθρος γαρ μοι κεινος ὁμως αιδαο πυλησιν, Ος χ'ετερον μεν κευθει ενι φρεσιν, αλλο δε βαζει. Hom. Il. ix. 312 "He whose words agree not with his private thoughts is as detestable to me as the gates of hell." See on Joshua 2 (note) at the end. See the subject of swearing particularly considered in the note at the conclusion of Deuteronomy 6 (note). Whatsoever is more than these - That is, more than a bare affirmation or negation, according to the requirements of Eternal Truth, cometh of evil; or, is of the wicked one - εκ του πονηρου εϚιν, i.e. the devil, the father of superfluities and lies. One of Selden's MSS. and Gregory Nyssen, a commentator of the fourth century, have εκ του διαβολου εϚιν, is of the devil. That the Jews were notoriously guilty of common swearing, for which our Lord particularly reprehends them, and warns his disciples against, and that they swore by heaven, by earth, by Jerusalem, by their head, etc., the following extracts, made by Dr. Lightfoot from their own writings, amply testify: - "It was customary and usual among them to swear by the creatures. 'If any swear by heaven, by earth, by the sun, etc., although the mind of the swearer be, under these words, to swear by Him who created them, yet this is not an oath. Or, if any swear by some of the prophets, or by some of the books of the Scripture, although the sense of the swearer be to swear by Him that sent that prophet, or that gave that book, nevertheless, this is not an oath. Maimonides.' "If any adjure another by heaven or earth, he is not guilty. Talmud. "They swore by Heaven, השמים כן הוא hashshamayim, ken hu, 'By heaven, so it is.' Bab. Berac. "They swore by the Temple. 'When turtles and young pigeons were sometimes sold at Jerusalem for a penny of gold, Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, המעו הוה By this habitation (that is, by this Temple) I will not rest this night, unless they be sold for a penny of silver.' Cherituth, cap. i. "R. Zechariah ben Ketsab said, המעו הוה 'By this Temple, the hand of the woman departed not out of my hand.' R. Jochanan said, היכלא 'By the Temple, it is in our hand, etc.' Ketuboth and Bab. Kidushin. "Bava ben Buta swore by the Temple in the end of the tract Cherithuth, and Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel in the beginning, וזה מנהג כישראל And so was the custom in Israel. - Note this, so was the custom. Jucas. fol. 56. "They swore by the city Jerusalem. R. Judah saith, 'He that saith, By Jerusalem, saith nothing, unless with an intent purpose he shall vow towards Jerusalem.' Where also, after two lines coming between those forms of swearing and vowing, are added, ירושלם לירושלם בירושלם היכל להיכל בהיכל 'Jerusalem, For Jerusalem, By Jerusalem. - The Temple, For the temple, By the temple. - The Altar, For the altar, By the altar. - The Lamb, For the Lamb, By the Lamb. - The Chambers of the Temple, For the chambers of the temple, By the chambers of the temple. - The Word, For the Word, By the Word. - The Sacrifices on Fire, For the sacrifices on fire, By the sacrifices on fire. - The Dishes, For the dishes, By the dishes. - By all these things, that I will do this to you.' Tosapht. ad. Nedarim. "They swore by their own Heads. 'One is bound to swear to his neighbor, and he saith, ריד לי כתיי ראשך Vow (or swear) to me by the life of thy head, etc. Sanhedr. cap. 3. "One of the holiest of their precepts relative to swearing was this: 'Be not much in oaths, although one should swear concerning things that are true; for in much swearing it is impossible not to profane.' Tract. Demai." - See Lightfoot's Works, vol. ii. p. 149. They did not pretend to forbid All common swearing, but only what they term Much. A Jew might swear, but he must not be too abundant in the practice. Against such permission, our Lord opposes his Swear Not At All! He who uses any oath, except what he is solemnly called by the magistrate to make, so far from being a Christian, he does not deserve the reputation, either of decency or common sense. In some of our old elementary books for children, we have this good maxim: "Never swear: for he that swears will lie; and he that lies will steal; and, if so, what bad things will he not do!" Reading Made Easy.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:37
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Gregory Nyssen
- Maimonides
- Yea
- Nay
- Hom
- Il
- Eternal Truth
- Jerusalem
- Dr
- Or
- Scripture
- Talmud
- Bab
- Berac
- Temple
- Cherituth
- Kidushin
- Cherithuth
- Israel
- Jucas
- By Jerusalem
- For Jerusalem
- The Temple
- The Altar
- The Lamb
- Lamb
- The Word
- Word
- Fire
- The Dishes
- Tosapht
- Nedarim
- Heads
- Sanhedr
- Tract
- Demai
- Works
- Much
- Christian
- Reading Made Easy
Exposition: Matthew 5:37 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:38
Greek
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη· Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος.Ekoysate oti errethe· Ophthalmon anti ophthalmoy kai odonta anti odontos.
KJV: Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
AKJV: You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
ASV: Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
YLT: `Ye heard that it was said: Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:38Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:38
Verse 38 An eye for an eye - Our Lord refers here to the law of retaliation mentioned See Exo 21:24, (see the note there, and see Lev 24:20 (note)), which obliged the offender to suffer the same injury he had committed. The Greeks and Romans had the same law. So strictly was it attended to at Athens, that if a man put out the eye of another who had but one, the offender was condemned to lose both his eyes, as the loss of one would not be an equivalent misfortune. It seems that the Jews had made this law (the execution of which belonged to the civil magistrate) a ground for authorizing private resentments, and all the excesses committed by a vindictive spirit. Revenge was often carried to the utmost extremity, and more evil returned than what had been received. This is often the case among those who are called Christians.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:38
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Lev 24:20
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Athens
- Christians
Exposition: Matthew 5:38 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:39
Greek
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ· ἀλλʼ ὅστις σε ⸀ῥαπίζει ⸀εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν ⸀σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην·ego de lego ymin me antistenai to ponero· all ostis se rapizei eis ten dexian siagona, strepson ayto kai ten allen·
KJV: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
AKJV: But I say to you, That you resist not evil: but whoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
ASV: 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.
YLT: but I--I say to you, not to resist the evil, but whoever shall slap thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:39Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:39
Verse 39 Resist not evil - Or, the evil person. So, I am fully persuaded, τω πονηρω ought to be translated. Our Lord's meaning is, "Do not repel one outrage by another." He that does so makes himself precisely what the other is, a wicked person. Turn to him the other also - That is, rather than avenge thyself, be ready to suffer patiently a repetition of the same injury. But these exhortations belong to those principally who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Let such leave the judgment of their cause to Him for whose sake they suffer. The Jews always thought that every outrage should be resented; and thus the spirit of hatred and strife was fostered.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:39
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Or
- So
Exposition: Matthew 5:39 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:40
Greek
καὶ τῷ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἄφες αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον·kai to thelonti soi krithenai kai ton chitona soy labein, aphes ayto kai to imation·
KJV: And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
AKJV: And if any man will sue you at the law, and take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
ASV: And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
YLT: and whoever is willing to take thee to law, and thy coat to take--suffer to him also the cloak.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:40Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:40
Verse 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law - Every where our blessed Lord shows the utmost disapprobation of such litigations as tended to destroy brotherly kindness and charity. It is evident he would have his followers to suffer rather the loss of all their property than to have recourse to such modes of redress, at so great a risk. Having the mind averse from contentions, and preferring peace and concord to temporal advantages, is most solemnly recommended to all Christians. We are great gainers when we lose only our money, or other property, and risk not the loss of our souls, by losing the love of God and man. Coat - Χιτωνα, upper garment. - Cloke, ἱματιον, under garment. What we call strait coat, and great coat. - See on Luk 6:29 (note).
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:40
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Christians
- Cloke
Exposition: Matthew 5:40 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:41
Greek
καὶ ὅστις σε ἀγγαρεύσει μίλιον ἕν, ὕπαγε μετʼ αὐτοῦ δύο.kai ostis se aggareysei milion en, ypage met aytoy dyo.
KJV: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
AKJV: And whoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.
ASV: And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.
YLT: `And whoever shall impress thee one mile, go with him two,
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:41Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:41
Verse 41 Shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. - αγγαρευσει. This word is said to be derived from the Persians, among whom the king's messengers, or posts, were called Αγγαποι, or angari. This definition is given both by Hesychius and Suidas. The Persian messengers had the royal authority for pressing horses, ships, and even men, to assist them in the business on which they were employed. These angari are now termed chappars, and serve to carry despatches between the court and the provinces. When a chappar sets out, the master of the horse furnishes him with a single horse; and, when that is weary, he dismounts the first man he meets, and takes his horse. There is no pardon for a traveler that refuses to let a chappar have his horse, nor for any other who should deny him the best horse in his stable. See Sir J. Chardin's and Hanway's Travels. For pressing post horses, etc., the Persian term is Sukhreh geriften. I find no Persian word exactly of the sound and signification of Αγγαρος; but the Arabic agharet signifies spurring a horse, attacking, plundering, etc. The Greek word itself is preserved among the rabbins in Hebrew characters, אנגריא angaria, and it has precisely the same meaning: viz. to be compelled by violence to do any particular service, especially of the public kind, by the king's authority. Lightfoot gives several instances of this in his Horae Talmudicae. We are here exhorted to patience and forgiveness: First, When we receive in our persons all sorts of insults and affronts, Mat 5:39. Secondly, When we are despoiled of our goods, Mat 5:40. Thirdly, When our bodies are forced to undergo all kinds of toils, vexations, and torments, Mat 5:41. The way to improve the injustice of man to our own advantage, is to exercise under it meekness, gentleness, and long-suffering, without which disposition of mind, no man can either be happy here or hereafter; for he that avenges himself must lose the mind of Christ, and thus suffer an injury ten thousand times greater than he can ever receive from man. Revenge, at such an expense, is dear indeed.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:41
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 5:39
- Mat 5:40
- Mat 5:41
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Persians
- Suidas
- Travels
- Horae Talmudicae
- First
- Secondly
- Thirdly
- Christ
- Revenge
Exposition: Matthew 5:41 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:42
Greek
τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε ⸀δός, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανίσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς.to aitoynti se dos, kai ton thelonta apo soy danisasthai me apostraphes.
KJV: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
AKJV: Give to him that asks you, and from him that would borrow of you turn not you away. ¶
ASV: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
YLT: to him who is asking of thee be giving, and him who is willing to borrow from thee thou mayest not turn away.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:42Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:42
Verse 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow - To give and lend freely to all who are in need, is a general precept from which we are only excused by our inability to perform it. Men are more or less obliged to it as they are more or less able, as the want is more or less pressing, as they are more or less burthened with common poor, or with necessitous relatives. In all these matters, both prudence and charity must be consulted. That God, who makes use of the beggar's hand to ask our charity, is the same from whom we ourselves beg our daily bread: and dare we refuse Him! Let us show at least mildness and compassion, when we can do no more; and if we cannot or will not relieve a poor man, let us never give him an ill word nor an ill look. If we do not relieve him, we have no right to insult him. To give and to lend, are two duties of charity which Christ joins together, and which he sets on equal footing. A rich man is one of God's stewards: God has given him money for the poor, and he cannot deny it without an act of injustice. But no man, from what is called a principle of charity or generosity, should give that in alms which belongs to his creditors. Generosity is godlike; but justice has ever, both in law and Gospel, the first claim. A loan is often more beneficial than an absolute gift: first, because it flatters less the vanity of him who lends; secondly, it spares more the shame of him who is in real want; and, thirdly, it gives less encouragement to the idleness of him who may not be very honest. However, no advantage should be taken of the necessities of the borrower: he who does so is, at least, half a murderer. The lending which our Lord here inculcates is that which requires no more than the restoration of the principal in a convenient time: otherwise to live upon trust is the sure way to pay double.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:42
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- That God
- Gospel
- However
Exposition: Matthew 5:42 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:43
Greek
Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη· Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου καὶ μισήσεις τὸν ἐχθρόν σου.Ekoysate oti errethe· Agapeseis ton plesion soy kai miseseis ton echthron soy.
KJV: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
AKJV: You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.
ASV: Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy:
YLT: `Ye heard that it was said: Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and shalt hate thine enemy;
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:43Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:43
Verse 43 Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy - Instead of πλησιον neighbor, the Codex Graevii, a MS. of the eleventh century, reads φιλον friend. Thou shalt love thy friend, and hate thine enemy. This was certainly the meaning which the Jews put on it: for neighbor, with them, implied those of the Jewish race, and all others were, considered by them as natural enemies. Besides, it is evident that πλησιον, among the Hellenistic Jews, meant friend merely: Christ uses it precisely in this sense in Luk 10:36, in answer to the question asked by a certain lawyer, Mat 5:29. Who of the three was neighbor (πλησιον friend) to him who fell among the thieves? He who showed him mercy; i.e. he who acted the friendly part. In Hebrew, רע reâ, signifies friend, which word is translated πλησιον by the Lxx. in more than one hundred places. Among the Greeks it was a very comprehensive term, and signified every man, not even an enemy excepted, as Raphelius, on this verse, has shown from Polybius. The Jews thought themselves authorized to kill any Jew who apostatized; and, though they could not do injury to the Gentiles, in whose country they sojourned, yet they were bound to suffer them to perish, if they saw them in danger of death. Hear their own words: "A Jew sees a Gentile fall into the sea, let him by no means lift him out; for it is written, Thou shalt not rise up against the blood of thy neighbor: - but this is not thy neighbor." Maimon. This shows that by neighbor they understood a Jew; one who was of the same blood and religion with themselves.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:43
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 5:29
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Codex Graevii
- Besides
- Hellenistic Jews
- In Hebrew
- Lxx
- Raphelius
- Polybius
- Gentiles
- Maimon
- Jew
Exposition: Matthew 5:43 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:44
Greek
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ⸀ὑμῶν καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ ⸀τῶν διωκόντων ὑμᾶς·ego de lego ymin, agapate toys echthroys ymon kai proseychesthe yper ton diokonton ymas·
KJV: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
AKJV: But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you;
ASV: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
YLT: but I--I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those accusing you falsely, and persecuting you,
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:44Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:44
Verse 44 Love your enemies - This is the most sublime piece of morality ever given to man. Has it appeared unreasonable and absurd to some? It has. And why? Because it is natural to man to avenge himself, and plague those who plague him; and he will ever find abundant excuse for his conduct, in the repeated evils he receives from others; for men are naturally hostile to each other. Jesus Christ design's to make men happy. Now he is necessarily miserable who hates another. Our Lord prohibits that only which, from its nature, is opposed to man's happiness. This is therefore one of the most reasonable precepts in the universe. But who can obey it? None but he who has the mind of Christ. But I have it not. Seek it from God; it is that kingdom of heaven which Christ came to establish upon earth. See on Mat 3:2 (note). This one precept is a sufficient proof of the holiness of the Gospel, and of the truth of the Christian religion. Every false religion flatters man, and accommodates itself to his pride and his passions. None but God could have imposed a yoke so contrary to self-love; and nothing but the supreme eternal love can enable men to practice a precept so insupportable to corrupt nature. Sentiments like this are found among Asiatic writers, and in select cases were strongly applied; but as a general command this was never given by them, or any other people. It is not an absolute command in any of the books which they consider to be Divinely inspired. Sir William Jones lays by far too much stress on the casual introduction of such sentiments as this in the Asiatic writers. See his Works, vol. i. p. 168, where the sentiment is connected with circumstances both extravagant and unnatural; and thus it is nullified by the pretended recommendation. Bless them that curse you - Ευλογειτε, give them good words for their bad words. See the note on Gen 2:3. Do good to them that hate you - Give your enemy every proof that you love him. We must not love in tongue, but in deed and in truth. Pray for them which despitefully use you - Επηρεαζοντων from επι against, and Αρης Mars, the heathen god of war. Those who are making continual war upon you, and constantly harassing and calumniating you. Pray for them - This is another exquisitely reasonable precept. I cannot change that wicked man's heart; and while it is unchanged he will continue to harass me: God alone can change it: then I must implore him to do that which will at once secure the poor man's salvation, and contribute so much to my own peace. And persecute you - Διωκοντων, those who press hard on and pursue you with hatred and malice accompanied with repeated acts of enmity. In this verse our Lord shows us that a man may be our enemy in three different ways. First, in his heart, by hatred. Secondly, in his words by cursing or using direful imprecations (καταρωμενους) against us. Thirdly, in his actions, by continually harassing and abusing us. He shows us also how we are to behave to those. The hatred of the first we are to meet with love. The cursings or evil words of the second, we are to meet with good words and blessings. And the repeated injurious acts of the third, we are to meet with continual prayer to God for the man's salvation.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:44
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 3:2
- Gen 2:3
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Ray
- Jesus
- Christ
- Gospel
- Works
- Mars
- First
- Secondly
- Thirdly
Exposition: Matthew 5:44 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:45
Greek
ὅπως γένησθε υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ⸀ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους.opos genesthe yioi toy patros ymon toy en oyranois, oti ton elion aytoy anatellei epi poneroys kai agathoys kai brechei epi dikaioys kai adikoys.
KJV: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
AKJV: That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
ASV: 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.
YLT: that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:45Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:45
Verse 45 That ye may be the children of your Father - Instead of ὑιοι children, some MSS., the latter Persic version, and several of the primitive fathers, read ὃμοιοι, that ye may be like to, or resemble, your Father who is in heaven. This is certainly our Lord's meaning. As a man's child is called his, because a partaker of his own nature, so a holy person is said to be a child of God, because he is a partaker of the Divine nature. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil - "There is nothing greater than to imitate God in doing good to our enemies. All the creatures of God pronounce the sentence of condemnation on the revengeful: and this sentence is written by the rays of the sun, and with the drops of rain, and indeed by all the natural good things, the use of which God freely gives to his enemies." If God had not loved us while we were his enemies, we could never have become his children: and we shall cease to be such, as soon as we cease to imitate him.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:45
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Ray
Exposition: Matthew 5:45 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:46
Greek
ἐὰν γὰρ ἀγαπήσητε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, τίνα μισθὸν ἔχετε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ τελῶναι ⸂τὸ αὐτὸ⸃ ποιοῦσιν;ean gar agapesete toys agapontas ymas, tina misthon echete; oychi kai oi telonai to ayto poioysin;
KJV: For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
AKJV: For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same?
ASV: For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
YLT: `For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same?
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:46Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:46
Verse 46 For if ye love them which love you - He who loves only his friends, does nothing for God's sake. He who loves for the sake of pleasure or interest, pays himself. God has no enemy which he hates but sin; we should have no other. The publicans - That is, tax-gatherers, τελωναι, from τελος a tax, and ωνεομαι I buy or farm. A farmer or collector of the taxes or public revenues. Of these there were two classes; the superior, who were Romans of the equestrian order; and the inferior, those mentioned in the Gospels, who it appears were mostly Jews. This class of men was detestable among the Romans, the Greeks, and the Jews, for their intolerable rapacity and avarice. They were abhorred in an especial manner by the Jews, to whom the Roman government was odious: these, assisting in collecting the Roman tribute, were considered as betrayers of the liberties of their country, and abettors of those who enslaved it. They were something like the tythe-farmers of certain college-livings in some counties of England, as Lancashire, etc. - a principal cause of the public burthens and discontent. One quotation, of the many produced by Kypke, will amply show in what detestation they were held among the Greeks. Theocritus being asked, Which of the wild beasts were the most cruel? answered, Εν μεν τοις ορεσιν αρκτοι και λεοντες· εν δε ταις πολεσιν, ΤΕΛΩΝΑΙ και συκοφανται. Bears and lions, in the mountains; and Tax-Gatherers and calumniators, in cities.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:46
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Ray
- Gospels
- Jews
- Romans
- Greeks
- England
- Lancashire
- Kypke
Exposition: Matthew 5:46 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:47
Greek
καὶ ἐὰν ἀσπάσησθε τοὺς ⸀ἀδελφοὺς ὑμῶν μόνον, τί περισσὸν ποιεῖτε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ ⸀ἐθνικοὶ ⸂τὸ αὐτὸ⸃ ποιοῦσιν;kai ean aspasesthe toys adelphoys ymon monon, ti perisson poieite; oychi kai oi ethnikoi to ayto poioysin;
KJV: And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
AKJV: And if you salute your brothers only, what do you more than others? do not even the publicans so?
ASV: And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the same?
YLT: and if ye may salute your brethren only, what do ye abundant? do not also the tax-gatherers so?
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:47Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:47
Verse 47 And if ye salute your brethren only - Instead of αδελφους brethren, upwards of one hundred MSS., and several of them of great authority and antiquity, have φιλους friends. The Armenian Slavonic, and Gothic versions, with the later Syriac, and some of the primitive fathers, agree in this reading. I scarcely know which to prefer; as brother is more conformable to the Jewish mode of address, it should be retained in the text: the other reading, however, tends to confirm that of the Codex Graevii on Mat 5:43. On the subject of giving and receiving salutations in Asiatic countries, Mr. Harmer, Observat. vol. ii. p. 327, etc., edit. 1808, has collected much valuable information: the following extract will be sufficient to elucidate our Lord's meaning. "Dr. Doddridge supposes that the salutation our Lord refers to, Mat 5:47, If ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? means embracing, though it is a different word. I would observe, that it is made use of in the Septuagint to express that action of endearment; and which is made use of by an apocryphal writer, (Ecclus. 30:19), whereas, the word we translate salute is of a much more general nature: this, I apprehend, arose from his being struck with the thought, that it could never be necessary to caution his disciples, not to restrain the civilities of a common salutation to those of their own religious party. Juvenal, when he satirizes the Jews of the apostolic age for their religious opinions, and represents them as unfriendly, and even malevolent, to other people, Sat. xiv., and when he mentions their refusing to show travelers the way, Non monstrare vias, etc., or to point out to them where they might find water to drink when thirsty with journeying, takes no notice of their not saluting those of another nation; yet there is no reason to believe, from these words of Christ, that many of them at least would not, and that even a Jewish publican received no salutations from one of his own nation, excepting brother publicans. "Nor shall we wonder at this, or think it requisite to suppose the word we translate salute (ασπαζομαι) and which certainly, sometimes at least, signifies nothing more than making use of some friendly words upon meeting with people, must here signify something more particular, since we find some of the present inhabitants of the east seem to want this admonition of our Lord. 'When the Arabs salute one another,' according to Niebuhr, 'it is generally in these terms, Salam aleikum, Peace be with you; in speaking which words they lay the right hand on the heart. The answer is, Aleikum essalam, With you be peace. Aged people are inclined to add to these words, And the mercy and blessing of God. The Mohammedans of Egypt and Syria never salute a Christian in this manner; they content themselves with saying to them, Good day to you; or, Friend, how do you do? The Arabs of Yemen, who seldom see any Christians, are not so zealous but that sometimes they will give them the Salam aleikum.' "Presently after he says: 'For a long time I thought the Mohammedan custom, of saluting Christians in a different manner from that made use of to those of their own profession, was an effect of their pride and religious bigotry. I saluted them sometimes with the Salam aleikum, and I had often only the common answer. At length I observed in Natolia, that the Christians themselves might probably be the cause that Mohammedans did not make the same return to their civilities that they did to those of their own religion. For the Greek merchants, with whom I traveled in that country, did not seem pleased with my saluting Mohammedans in the Mohammedan manner. And when they were not known to be Christians, by those Turks whom they met with in their journeying, (it being allowed Christian travelers in these provinces to wear a white turban, Christians in common being obliged to wear the sash of their turbans white striped with blue, that banditti might take them at a distance for Turks, and people of courage), they never answered those that addressed them with the compliment of Salam aleikum. One would not, perhaps, suspect that similar customs obtain in our times, among Europeans: but I find that the Roman Catholics of some provinces of Germany never address the Protestants that live among them with the compliment Jesus Christ be praised; and, when such a thing happens by mistake, the Protestants do not return it after the manner in use among Catholics, For ever and ever. Amen!' "After this, the words of our Lord in the close of the fifth of Matthew want no farther commentary. The Jews would not address the usual compliment of Peace be to you, to either heathens or publicans; the publicans of the Jewish nation would use it to their countrymen that were publicans, but not to heathens; though the more rigid Jews would not do it to them, any more than to heathens: our Lord required his disciples to lay aside the moroseness of Jews, and express more extensive benevolence in their salutations. There seems to be nothing of embracing thought of in this case, though that, doubtless, was practised anciently among relations, and intimate friends, as it is among modern Asiatics." If not to salute be a heathenish indifference, to hide hatred under outward civilities is a diabolic treachery. To pretend much love and affection for those for whom we have neither - to use towards them complimentary phrases, to which we affix no meaning, but that they mean, nothing, is highly offensive in the sight of that God by whom actions are weighed and words judged. Do not - the publicans - Τελωναι, - but εθνικοι heathens, is adopted by Griesbach, instead of τελωναι, on the authority of Codd. Vatican. Bezae, and several others; together with the Coptic, Syriac later, and Syriac Jerusalem; two Arabic, Persic, Slavonic; all the Itala but one; Vulgate, Saxon, and several of the primitive fathers.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:47
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Mat 5:43
- Mat 5:47
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Septuagint
- Vulgate
- Jesus
- The Armenian Slavonic
- Syriac
- Mr
- Harmer
- Observat
- Dr
- Ecclus
- Juvenal
- Sat
- Christ
- Lord
- Niebuhr
- Friend
- Yemen
- Christians
- Natolia
- Turks
- Europeans
- Catholics
- Jews
- Asiatics
- Griesbach
- Codd
- Vatican
- Bezae
- Coptic
- Syriac Jerusalem
- Arabic
- Persic
- Slavonic
- Saxon
Exposition: Matthew 5:47 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Matthew 5:48
Greek
Ἔσεσθε οὖν ὑμεῖς τέλειοι ⸀ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ⸀οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν.Esesthe oyn ymeis teleioi os o pater ymon o oyranios teleios estin.
KJV: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
AKJV: Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
ASV: Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
YLT: ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father who is in the heavens is perfect.
Commentary WitnessMatthew 5:48Quoted commentary witness
Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:48
Verse 48 Be ye therefore perfect - as your Father - God himself is the grand law, sole giver, and only pattern of the perfection which he recommends to his children. The words are very emphatic, εσεσθε ουν υμεις τελειοι, Ye shall be therefore perfect - ye shall be filled with the spirit of that God whose name is Mercy, and whose nature is love. God has many imitators of his power, independence, justice, etc., but few of his love, condescension, and kindness. He calls himself Love, to teach us that in this consists that perfection, the attainment of which he has made both our duty and privilege: for these words of our Lord include both a command and a promise. "Can we be fully saved from sin in this world?" is an important question, to which this text gives a satisfactory answer: "Ye shall be perfect, as your Father, who is in heaven, is perfect." - As in his infinite nature there is no sin, nothing but goodness and love, so in your finite nature there shall dwell no sin, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus shall make you free from the law of sin and death, Rom 8:2. God shall live in, fill, and rule your hearts; and, in what He fills and influences, neither Satan nor sin can have any part. If men, slighting their own mercies, cry out, This is impossible! - whom does this arguing reprove - God, who, on this ground, has given a command, the fulfillment of which is impossible. "But who can bring a clean out of an unclean thing?" God Almighty - and, however inveterate the disease of sin may be, the grace of the Lord Jesus can fully cure it; and who will say, that he who laid down his life for our souls will not use his power completely to effect that salvation which he has died to procure. "But where is the person thus saved?" Wherever he is found who loves God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and his neighbor as himself; and, for the honor of Christianity and its Author, may we not hope there are many such in the Church of God, not known indeed by any profession of this kind which they make, but by a surer testimony, that of uniformly holy tempers, piety to God, and beneficence to man? Dr. Lightfoot is not perfectly satisfied with the usual mode of interpreting the 22nd verse of this chapter. I subjoin the substance of what he says. Having given a general exposition of the word brother, which the Jews understood as signifying none but an Israelite - ενοχος, which we translate is in danger of, and which he shows the Jews used to signify, is exposed to, merits, or is guilty of - and the word gehenna, hell - fire, which he explains as I have done above, he comes to the three offenses, and their sentences. The First is causeless anger, which he thinks too plain to require explanation; but into the two following he enters in considerable detail: - "The Second. Whosoever shall say to his brother, 'Racha,' a nickname, or scornful title usual, which they disdainfully put one upon another, and very commonly; and therefore our Savior has mentioned this word, the rather because it was of so common use among them. Take these few examples: - "A certain man sought to betake himself to repentance (and restitution). His wife said to him, 'Rekah, if thou make restitution, even thy girdle about thee is not thine own, etc.' Tanchum, fol. 5. "Rabbi Jochanan was teaching concerning the building of Jerusalem with sapphires and diamonds, etc. One of his scholars laughed him to scorn. But afterwards, being convinced of the truth of the thing, he saith to him, 'Rabbi, do thou expound, for it is fit for thee to expound: as thou saidst, so have I seen it.' he saith to him, 'Rekah, hadst thou not seen, thou wouldst not have believed, etc.' Midras Tillin, fol. 38, col. 4. "To what is the thing like? To a king of flesh and blood, who took to wife a king's daughter: he saith to her, 'Wait and fill me a cup;' but she would not: whereupon he was angry, and put her away; she went, and was married to a sordid fellow; and he saith to her, 'Wait, and fill me a cup;' she said unto him, 'Rekah, I am a king's daughter, etc.' Idem in Psa 137:1-9. "A Gentile saith to an Israelite, 'I have a choice dish for thee to eat of.' He saith, 'What is it ?' He answers, 'Swine's flesh.' he saith to him, 'Rekah, even what you kill of clean beasts is forbidden us, much more this.' Tanchum, fol. 18, col. 4. "The Third offense is to say to a brother, 'Thou fool,' which, how to distinguish from racha, which signifies an empty fellow, were some difficulty, but that Solomon is a good dictionary here for us, who takes the term continually here for a wicked wretch and reprobate, and in opposition to spiritual wisdom: so that in the first clause is condemned causeless anger; in the second, scornful taunting and reproaching of a brother; and, in the last, calling him a reprobate and wicked, or uncharitably censuring his spiritual and eternal estate. And this last does more especially hit the scribes and Pharisees, who arrogated to themselves only to be called חכמים chocamim, wise men, but of all others they had this scornful and uncharitable opinion, 'This people, that knoweth not the law, is cursed,' Joh 7:49. "And now for the penalties denounced upon these offenses, let us look upon them, taking notice of these two traditions of the Jews, which our Savior seems to face, and to contradict. "1st. That they accounted the command, Thou shalt not kill, to aim only at actual murder. So that in their collecting the six hundred and thirteen precepts out of the law, they understand that command to mean but this: 'That one should not kill an Israelite,' and accordingly they allotted this only violation of it to judgments; against this wild gloss and practice, he speaks in the first clause: Ye have heard it said, Thou shalt not kill, and he that killeth, or committeth actual murder, is liable to judgment, and ye extend the violation of that command no farther; but I say to you, that causeless anger against thy brother is a violation of that command, and even that maketh a man liable to judgment. 2nd. They allotted that murder only to be judged by the council, or Sanhedrin, that was committed by a man in propria persona: let them speak their own sense, etc. Talm. in Sanhedrin, per. 9. "'Any one that kills his neighbor with his hand, as if he strike him with a sword, or with a stone that kills him, or strangle him till he die, or burn him in the fire, seeing that he kills him any how in his own person, lo! such a one must be put to death by the Sanhedrin; but he that hires another to kill his neighbor, or that sends his servants, and they kill him, or that violently thrusts him before a lion, or the like, and the beast kills him - any one of these is a shedder of blood, and the guilt of shedding of blood is upon him, and he is liable to death by the hand of Heaven, but he is not to be put to death by the Sanhedrin. And whence is the proof that it must be thus! Because it is said, He that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. This is he that slays a man himself, and not by the hand of another. Your blood of your lives will I require. This is he that slays himself. At the hand of every beast will I require it. This is he that delivers up his neighbor before a beast to be rent in pieces. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man. This is he that hires others to kill his neighbor: In this interpretation, requiring is spoken of all the three; behold, their judgment is delivered over to Heaven (or God). And all these man-slayers and the like, who are not liable to death by the Sanhedrin, if the king of Israel will slay them by the judgment of the kingdom, and the law of nations, he may, etc.' Maym. ubi supr. per. 2. "You may observe in these wretched traditions a twofold killing, and a twofold judgment: a man's killing another in his own person, and with his own hand, and such a one liable to the judgment of the Sanhedrin, to be put to death by them, as a murderer; and a man that killed another by proxy, not with his own hand, not hiring another to kill him, or turning a beast or serpent upon him to kill him. This man is not to be judged and executed by the Sanhedrin, but, referred and reserved only to the judgment of God. So that we see plainly, from hence, in what sense the word judgment is used in the latter end of the preceding verse, and the first clause of this, namely, not for the judgment of any one of the Sanhedrins, as it is commonly understood, but for the judgment of God. In the former verse, Christ speaks their sense, and in the first clause of this, his own, in application to it. Ye have heard it said, that any man that kills is liable to the judgment of God; but I say unto you, that he that is but angry with his brother without a cause is liable to the judgment of God. You have heard it said, that he only that commits murder with his own hand is liable to the council, or Sanhedrin, as a murderer; but I say unto you, that he that but calls his brother racha, as common a word as ye make it, and a thing of nothing, he is liable to be judged by the Sanhedrin. "Lastly, he that saith to his brother, Thou fool, wicked one, or cast-away, shall be in danger of hell-fire, ενοχος εις γεενναν πυρος. There are two observable things in the words. The first is the change of case from what was before; there it was said τη κρισει τω συνεδριω, but here, εις γεενναν. It is but an emphatical raising of the sense, to make it the more feeling and to speak home. He that saith to his brother, Raka, shall be in danger of the council; but he that says, Thou fool, shall be in danger of a penalty even to hell-fire. And thus our Savior equals the sin and penalty in a very just parable. In just anger, with God's just anger and judgment; public reproach, with public correction by the council; and censuring for a child of hell, to the fire of hell. "2nd. It is not said εις πυρ γεεννης, To the fire of hell, but εις γεεννας πυρος, To a hell of fire; in which expression he sets the emphasis still higher. And, besides the reference to the valley of Hinnom, he seems to refer to that penalty used by the Sanhedrin of burning - the most bitter death that they used to put men to; the manner of which was thus: They set the malefactor in a dunghill up to the knees; and they put a towel about his neck, and one pulled one way, and another the opposite, till, by thus strangling him, they forced him to open his mouth. Then they poured boiling lead into his mouth, which went down into his belly, and so burnt his bowels. Talm. in Sanhedrin. per. 7. "Now, having spoken in the clause before, of being judged by the Sanhedrin, whose most terrible penalty was this burning, he doth in this clause raise the penalty higher; namely, of burning in hell; not with a little scalding lead, but even with a hell of fire." It is possible that our Lord might have reference to such customs as these.
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:48
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
- Rom 8:2
- Joh 7:49
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness
- Jesus
- Mercy
- Love
- Father
- Author
- Dr
- The Second
- Racha
- Rekah
- Tanchum
- Rabbi
- Midras Tillin
- Wait
- Israelite
- Pharisees
- Jews
- Sanhedrin
- Talm
- Maym
- Sanhedrins
- Lastly
- Raka
- And
- Hinnom
- Now
Exposition: Matthew 5:48 advances the chapter's central argument around Kingdom ethics, Torah fulfillment, and Jesus' intrinsic interpretive authority. In KJV wording, the verse states: 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'. Read in immediate context and canonical flow, the verse contributes to a coherent redemptive pattern rather than an isolated doctrinal fragment.
Apologetics Notes
- Scientific Correlation: Apologetically, this verse supports a cumulative-case method: textual stability, historical continuity, and explanatory power within a unified biblical worldview are assessed together for strongest evidential force.
- Koine Greek Grammar: A focused Koine Greek analysis should track lexical range, syntax, and discourse role in context; this constrains speculative readings and preserves authorial intent at both sentence and chapter level.
- Historical Evidence: Historically, this verse has been interpreted within the continuous manuscript and confessional tradition of the church, where early reception and cross-textual usage support stable meaning across transmission history.
Theological synthesisRead after the chapter frame and verse notes.
Theological synthesis
The Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5-7) opens with the Beatitudes — eight paradoxical blessings that invert every standard of worldly flourishing and describe the character of Kingdom citizens.
The Antitheses ("You have heard... but I say to you") are the apologetics centerpiece of chapter 5: Jesus does not appeal to "Thus says the LORD" (prophetic form) but speaks on his own authority — a claim no rabbi or prophet made. His handling of Torah demonstrates not abolishment but intensification reaching to the heart: lust is adultery, anger is murder, oath-taking is distrust of one's own word. This radicalization of the Law is only coherent from One who made the Law.
Citation trailOpen the commentary counts, references, and named sources.
Scholarly apparatus
Commentary citation index
This chapter now surfaces commentary as quoted witness material with an explicit citation trail. The index below gathers the canonical references and named authorities detected inside the commentary layer for faster academic review.
Direct commentary witnesses
44
Generated editorial witnesses
4
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Canonical references surfaced in commentary
- Mat 5:1
- Mat 5:2
- Mat 5:3-12
- Mat 5:13-16
- Mat 5:17-19
- Mat 5:20
- Mat 5:21
- Mat 5:22
- Mat 5:23-26
- Mat 5:27-30
- Mat 5:31
- Mat 5:32
- Mat 5:33-37
- Mat 5:38-41
- Mat 5:42
- Mat 5:43-46
- Mat 5:47
- Mat 5:48
- Mat 5:14
- Matthew 5:1
- Matthew 5:2
- Mat 3:2
- Matthew 5:3
- Mat 11:28
- Matthew 5:4
- Matthew 5:5
- Joh 8:48
- Matthew 5:6
- Matthew 5:7
- Joh 3:3
- Joh 3:16
- Matthew 5:8
- Matthew 5:9
- Matthew 5:10
- Matthew 5:11
- Rom 6:23
- Matthew 5:12
- Lev 2:13
- Matthew 5:13
- Mat 5:5
- Matthew 5:14
- Matthew 5:15
- Matthew 5:16
- Col 1:25
- Matthew 5:17
- 2Cor 4:18
- Lev 22:32
- Jer 5:10
- Hos 5:7
- 1Sam 2:2
- Matthew 5:18
- Mat 22:36
- Matthew 5:19
- Matthew 5:20
- Gen 9:5
- Gen 9:6
- Matthew 5:21
- Matthew 5:22
- Matthew 5:23
- Matthew 5:24
- Matthew 5:25
- Matthew 5:26
- Matthew 5:27
- 2Pet 2:14
- Matthew 5:28
- Matthew 5:29
- Matthew 5:30
- Matthew 5:31
- Matthew 5:32
- Matthew 5:33
- Matthew 5:34
- Matthew 5:35
- Matthew 5:36
- Matthew 5:37
- Lev 24:20
- Matthew 5:38
- Matthew 5:39
- Matthew 5:40
- Mat 5:39
- Mat 5:40
- Mat 5:41
- Matthew 5:41
- Matthew 5:42
- Mat 5:29
- Matthew 5:43
- Gen 2:3
- Matthew 5:44
- Matthew 5:45
- Matthew 5:46
- Mat 5:43
- Matthew 5:47
- Rom 8:2
- Joh 7:49
- Matthew 5:48
Named authorities or texts surfaced in commentary
- Prophets
- Pharisees
- Father
- Jews
- Christ
- Divine Master
- Ovid
- Or
- Homer
- Lord
- Felix
- Virg
- Geor
- Fate
- Happy
- Yea
- Bammidbar Rabbi
- Balaam
- Tanchum
- See Schoettgen
- Jesus
- English
- Canaan
- Gospel
- Besides
- Poverty
- Ray
- Holy Spirit
- Now
- Virgil
- Situs
- That
- Why
- Shabbath
- Mr
- Origen
- Contra Cels
- Cannot See God
- Pure Being
- Hebraism
- Son
- Customs
- Church
- Most High
- St
- Clement
- Strom
- Parkhurst
- Christians
- Bloody Queen Mary
- Pirkey Aboth
- Reward Is Great
- Judea
- Maundrell
- Salt
- Along
- Gibul
- Lost Its Savour
- Trav
- Christian
- Asphaltites
- Horae Hebraicae
- Travels
- Beatitudes
- Matthew
- Saphet
- Bethulia
- Near
- Romans
- See Wetstein
- Kypke
- Wolf
- Bammidbar Rabba
- Behold
- Schoettgen
- His Own Sacrifice
- James
- Hebrews
- These
- Shir Hashirim Rabba
- In Vayikra Rabba
- Hear
- Israel
- One Lord
- Because
- Other
- Praise
- Hosea
- Christian Church
- Atonement
- Wisdom
- See Montesquieu
- Blackstone
- Marquis Beccaria
- Sir Samuel Romilly
- Germany
- London
- Raca
- Jew
- Then
- Adversary
- Christ Jesus
- Death
- Hell
- Judge
- Coptic
- Ethiopic
- Armenian
- Gothic
- Itala
- Cyril
- Theophylact
- Euthymius
- Hilary
- Herodotus
- Raphelius
- So
- Josephus
- Maimonides
- Moses
- Life
- However
- Shammai
- Lightfoot
- Reuben
- Jacob
- Witness
- Eliezar
- Gilead
- Rab
- Scythians
- Herod
- Jerusalem
- King
- Gregory Nyssen
- Nay
- Hom
- Il
- Eternal Truth
- Dr
- Scripture
- Talmud
- Bab
- Berac
- Temple
- Cherituth
- Kidushin
- Cherithuth
- Jucas
- By Jerusalem
- For Jerusalem
- The Temple
- The Altar
- The Lamb
- Lamb
- The Word
- Word
- Fire
- The Dishes
- Tosapht
- Nedarim
- Heads
- Sanhedr
- Tract
- Demai
- Works
- Much
- Reading Made Easy
- Athens
- Cloke
- Persians
- Suidas
- Horae Talmudicae
- First
- Secondly
- Thirdly
- Revenge
- That God
- Codex Graevii
- Hellenistic Jews
- In Hebrew
- Lxx
- Polybius
- Gentiles
- Maimon
- Mars
- Gospels
- Greeks
- England
- Lancashire
- Septuagint
- Vulgate
- The Armenian Slavonic
- Syriac
- Harmer
- Observat
- Ecclus
- Juvenal
- Sat
- Niebuhr
- Friend
- Yemen
- Natolia
- Turks
- Europeans
- Catholics
- Asiatics
- Griesbach
- Codd
- Vatican
- Bezae
- Syriac Jerusalem
- Arabic
- Persic
- Slavonic
- Saxon
- Mercy
- Love
- Author
- The Second
- Racha
- Rekah
- Rabbi
- Midras Tillin
- Wait
- Israelite
- Sanhedrin
- Talm
- Maym
- Sanhedrins
- Lastly
- Raka
- And
- Hinnom
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Commentary Witness
Matthew 5:1
Provenance. Rendered as a quoted commentary witness with explicit reference extraction from the source prose.
Canonical locus
Matthew 5:1
Source lane
Apologetics Bible source bundle
Biblical cross-references named in the witness
Named authorities or texts detected in the witness