Matthew 5:39

Matthew 5:39 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Context of Matthew 5:39

37But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one. 38“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

Matthew 5:39 word by word

ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ. ἀλλ᾽ ὅστις σε ῥαπίζει εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα σου, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• That ye resistἀνθίστημιanthistēmi · to opposeG436
• notμήmē · notG3361
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• whosoeverὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• shall smiteῥαπίζωrhapizō · to slapG4474
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• rightδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
• cheekσιαγώνsiagōn · cheekG4600
• turnστρέφωstrephō · to turnG4762
• to himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• the otherἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532

Cross-references for Matthew 5:39

• Leviticus 19:18Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 24:10You can see with your own eyes that the Lord handed you over to me today in the cave. Someone advised me to kill you, but I took pity on you and said: I won’t lift my hand against my lord, since he is the Lord’s anointed.
• 1 Samuel 25:31there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”
• 1 Samuel 26:8Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!”
• Job 31:29Have I rejoiced over my enemy’s distress, or become excited when trouble came his way?
• Proverbs 20:22Don’t say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the Lord, and he will rescue you.
• Proverbs 24:29Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me; I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”
• Luke 6:29If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either.
• Romans 12:17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.
• 1 Corinthians 6:7As it is, to have legal disputes against one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:15See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
• Hebrews 12:4In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
• James 5:6You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous, who does not resist you.
• 1 Peter 3:9not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.
• 1 Kings 22:24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?”
• Job 16:10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join themselves together against me.

Commentaries on Matthew 5:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39Resist not evil - Or, the evil person. So, I am fully persuaded, 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38-41Verses 38-41 An eye for an eye … - This command is found in Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. In these places it was given as a rule to regulate the decisions of judges. They were to take eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, and to inflict burning for burning. As a judicial rule it is not unjust. Christ finds no fault with the rule as applied to magistrates, and does not take upon himself to repeal it. But instead of confining it to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 38-42Verses 38-42 The plain instruction is, Suffer any injury that can be borne, for the sake of peace, committing your concerns to the Lord's keeping. And the sum of all is, that Christians must avoid disputing and striving. If any say, Flesh and blood cannot pass by such an affront, let them remember, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and those who act upon right principles will have most peace and comfort.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38-42The Old Testament allowed fair retribution (payback) (Exodus 21:24–25; Deuteronomy 19:16–21) to keep punishments from being too severe. Yet, Jesus does not allow personal revenge for his disciples. Instead, Jesus teaches finding victory through suffering and the cross (1 Peter 2:23). Some consider this teaching as a guide for all aspects of life, including politics. Others consider it to apply to personal willingness to give up rights and forgive as God…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3939. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn to him the other also--Our Lord's own meek, yet dignified bearing, when smitten rudely on the cheek (Joh 18:22, 23), and not literally presenting the other, is the best comment on these words. It is the preparedness, after one indignity, not to invite but to submit meekly to another, without retaliation, which this strong language is meant to convey.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:39

• Assault and Battery
• Commandments
• Forgiveness
• Instruction
• Judaism
• Law
• Malice
• Meekness
• Religion
• Retaliation
• Strife

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Cheek
• Communication
• Despitefully
• Enemy
• Fornication
• Forswear
• Gift
• Hunger
• Inherit

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