Matthew 5:47

Matthew 5:47 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
• New International Version (NIV)And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
• New King James Version (NKJV)And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

Context of Matthew 5:47

45so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. 46For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that? And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God’s blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that? 48You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:47 word by word

καὶ ἐὰν ἀσπάσησθε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὑμῶν μόνον, τί περισσὸν ποιεῖτε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ ἐθνικοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• ye saluteἀσπάζομαιaspazomai · to pay respects toG782
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• brethrenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• moreπερισσόςperissos · excessiveG4053
• notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
• the publicansτελώνηςtelōnēs · tax collectorG5057
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779

Cross-references for Matthew 5:47

• Matthew 10:12As you go into the house, give it your greeting [that is, ‘Peace be to this house’].
• Luke 6:32If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
• Luke 10:4Do not carry a money belt, a provision bag, or [extra] sandals; and do not greet anyone along the way [who would delay you].
• Matthew 5:20“For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
• 1 Peter 2:20After all, what kind of credit is there if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you endure it patiently? But if when you do what is right and patiently bear [undeserved] suffering, this finds favor with God.

Commentaries on Matthew 5:47

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 47And if ye salute your brethren only - Instead of brethren, upwards of one hundred MSS., and several of them of great authority and antiquity, have 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 47And if you salute your brethren … - The word “salute” here means to show the customary tokens of civility, or to treat with the common marks of friendship. See the notes at Luke 10:4. The Saviour says that the worst men, the very publicans, would do this. Christians should do more; they should show that they have a different spirit; they should treat their “enemies” as well as wicked people do their “friends.” This should be done: 1.Because it is “right;”…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 43-48Verses 43-48 The Jewish teachers by "neighbour" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord Jesus teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all, especially to their souls. We must pray for them. While many will render good for good, we must render good for evil; and this will speak a nobler principle than most men act by. Others salute their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 47If you greet only your brothers: Jews were taught to greet Gentiles (non-Jews) to keep peaceful relations. But such greetings were not the same as those given to “brothers,” meaning fellow Jews.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4747. And if ye salute your brethren only--of the same nation and religion with yourselves. what do ye more than others?--what do ye uncommon or extraordinary? that is, wherein do ye excel? do not even the publicans so?--The true reading here appears to be, "Do not even the heathens the same?" Compare Mt 18:17, where the excommunicated person is said to be "as an heathen man and a publican."Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:47

• Commandments
• Enemy
• Forgiveness
• Good for Evil
• Instruction
• Love
• Publicans
• Religion

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Brother
• Communication
• Custom
• Despitefully
• Enemy
• Fornication
• Forswear
• Gift
• Hunger

Commentaries on Matthew 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings