God’s Word Translation
Matthew 5:17
17“Don’t ever think that I came to set aside Moses’ Teachings or the Prophets. I didn’t come to set them aside but to make them come true.
Matthew 5:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
- New International Version (NIV)“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Context of Matthew 5:17
15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. 16In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven. “Don’t ever think that I came to set aside Moses’ Teachings or the Prophets. I didn’t come to set them aside but to make them come true. 18I can guarantee this truth: Until the earth and the heavens disappear, neither a period nor a comma will disappear from the Scriptures before everything has come true. 19So whoever sets aside any command that seems unimportant and teaches others to do the same will be unimportant in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches what the commands say will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:17 word by word
Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thinkνομίζωnomizō · to thinkG3543
- notμήmē · notG3361
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- I am comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- to destroyκαταλύωkataluō · to destroy/lodgeG2647
- the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- orἤē · orG2228
- the prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
- notοὐou · noG3756
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- to fulfilπληρόωplēroō · to fulfillG4137
Cross-references for Matthew 5:17
- Luke 16:17It is easier for the earth and the heavens to disappear than to drop a comma from the Scriptures.
- John 8:5In his teachings, Moses ordered us to stone women like this to death. What do you say?”
- Acts 6:13Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, “This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses’ Teachings.
- Acts 18:13They said, “This man is persuading people to worship God in ways that are against Moses’ Teachings.”
- Acts 21:28Then they began shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere to turn against the Jewish people, Moses’ Teachings, and this temple. He has even brought Greeks into the temple courtyard and has made this holy place unclean.”
- Romans 3:31Are we abolishing the laws in the Scriptures by this faith? That’s unthinkable! Rather, we are supporting these laws.
- Romans 10:4Christ is the fulfillment of Moses’ Teachings so that everyone who has faith may receive God’s approval.
- Galatians 3:17This is what I mean: The laws ⌞given to Moses⌟ 430 years after God had already put his promise ⌞to Abraham⌟ into effect didn’t cancel the promise ⌞to Abraham⌟.
- Matthew 3:15Jesus answered him, “This is the way it has to be now. This is the proper way to do everything that God requires of us.” Then John gave in to him.
- Psalms 40:6You were not pleased with sacrifices and offerings. You have dug out two ears for me. You did not ask for burnt offerings or sacrifices for sin.
- Isaiah 42:21The Lord is pleased because he does what is right. He praises the greatness of his teachings and makes them glorious.
- Romans 8:4Therefore, we, who do not live by our corrupt nature but by our spiritual nature, are able to meet God’s standards in Moses’ Teachings.
- Galatians 4:4But when the right time came, God sent his Son ⌞into the world⌟. A woman gave birth to him, and he came under the control of the laws given to Moses.
- Colossians 2:16Therefore, let no one judge you because of what you eat or drink or about the observance of annual holy days, New Moon Festivals, or weekly days of rest—holy days.
- Hebrews 10:3Instead, this yearly cycle of sacrifices reminded people of their sins.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law - Do not imagine that I am come to violate the law , from , and , 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, , to complete…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Think not that I am come - Our Saviour was just entering on his work. It was important for him to state what he came to do. By his setting up to be a teacher in opposition to the scribes and Pharisees, some might charge him with an intention to destroy their law, and to abolish the customs of the nation. He therefore told them that he did not come for that end, but really to fulfill or accomplish what was in the law and the prophets. To destroy - To…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-20Verses 17-20 Let none suppose that Christ allows his people to trifle with any commands of God's holy law. No sinner partakes of Christ's justifying righteousness, till he repents of his evil deeds. The mercy revealed in the gospel leads the believer to still deeper self-abhorrence. The law is the Christian's rule of duty, and he delights therein. If a man, pretending to be Christ's disciple, encourages himself in any allowed disobedience to the holy law…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17To abolish would mean to remove and replace the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets (that is, the whole Old Testament) as God’s revelation of his will. until everything is accomplished: This could mean to obey the Old Testament perfectly, complete their teachings, or fulfill their prophecies (see Matthew 1:22; 2:15, 17, 23). Jesus himself embodies everything the Prophets and the Law taught and expected. Now that Christ has arrived, who fulfills…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Think not that I am come--that I came. to destroy the law, or the prophets--that is, "the authority and principles of the Old Testament." (On the phrase, see Mt 7:12; 22:40; Lu 16:16; Ac 13:15). This general way of taking the phrase is much better than understanding "the law" and "the prophets" separately, and inquiring, as many good critics do, in what sense our Lord could be supposed to meditate the subversion of each. To the various classes of His…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:17
In the dictionaries
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
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