Matthew 5:34

Matthew 5:34 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
• New International Version (NIV)But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
• English Standard Version (ESV)But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
• New King James Version (NKJV)But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

Context of Matthew 5:34

32But I can guarantee that any man who divorces his wife for any reason other than unfaithfulness makes her look as though she has committed adultery. Whoever marries a woman divorced in this way makes himself look as though he has committed adultery. 33“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Never break your oath, but give to the Lord what you swore in an oath to give him.’ But I tell you don’t swear an oath at all. Don’t swear an oath by heaven, which is God’s throne, 35or by the earth, which is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, which is the city of the great King. 36And don’t swear an oath by your head. After all, you cannot make one hair black or white.

Matthew 5:34 word by word

ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ὀμόσαι ὅλως, μήτε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὅτι θρόνος ἐστὶν τοῦ θεοῦ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Swearὄμνυμιomnuō · to swearG3660
• notμήmē · notG3361
• at allὅλωςholōs · at allG3654
• neitherμήτεmēte · neitherG3383
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• it isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• God’sθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362

Cross-references for Matthew 5:34

• Deuteronomy 23:21If you make a vow to the Lord your God, don’t avoid keeping it. The Lord your God expects you to keep it. You would be guilty of a sin if you didn’t.
• Ecclesiastes 9:2Everything turns out the same way for everyone. All people will share the same destiny, whether they are righteous, wicked, or good, clean or unclean, whether they offer sacrifices or don’t offer sacrifices. Good people are treated like sinners. People who take oaths are treated like those who are afraid to take oaths.
• James 5:12Above all things, my brothers and sisters, do not take an oath on anything in heaven or on earth. Do not take any oath. If you mean yes, say yes. If you mean no, say no. Do this so that you won’t be condemned.
• Matthew 23:16“How horrible it will be for you, you blind guides! You say, ‘To swear an oath by the temple doesn’t mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gold in the temple means a person must keep his oath.’
• Isaiah 57:15The High and Lofty One lives forever, and his name is holy. This is what he says: I live in a high and holy place. But I am with those who are crushed and humble. I will renew the spirit of those who are humble and the courage of those who are crushed.
• Isaiah 66:1This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne. The earth is my footstool. Where can you build a house or resting place for me?

Commentaries on Matthew 5:34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34Neither 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34But I say unto you, Swear not at all - That is, in the manner which he proceeds to specify. Swear not in any of the common and profane ways customary at that time. By heaven; for it is God‘s throne - To swear by that was, if it meant anything, to swear by Him that sitteth thereon, Matthew 23:22. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool - Swearing by that, therefore, is really swearing by God. Or perhaps it means: 1.that we have no right to pledge, or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 33-37Verses 33-37 There is no reason to consider that solemn oaths in a court of justice, or on other proper occasions, are wrong, provided they are taken with due reverence. But all oaths taken without necessity, or in common conversation, must be sinful, as well as all those expressions which are appeals to God, though persons think thereby to evade the guilt of swearing. The worse men are, the less they are bound by oaths; the better they are, the less…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33-37Jesus explains the Old Testament's teachings on oaths (Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2–4; Deuteronomy 23:21–23; Psalm 50:14; Zechariah 8:17). The Pharisees had different levels of commitment for oaths. For example, oaths not mentioning God were less serious. Jesus teaches that everything connects to God. This includes heaven, earth, Jerusalem, my head (see also Matthew 23:16–22). So, breaking any oath disobeys God's command (see Exodus 20:7). The main idea…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:34

• Commandments
• Heaven
• Instruction
• Judaism
• Law
• Oath
• Religion
• Throne

In the dictionaries

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

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