Matthew 5:42

Matthew 5:42 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
• New International Version (NIV)Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Context of Matthew 5:42

40If someone wants to sue you in order to take your shirt, let him have your coat too. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to everyone who asks you for something. Don’t turn anyone away who wants to borrow something from you. 43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:42 word by word

τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δός, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανίσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• to him that askethαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• him that wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• borrowδανείζωdaneizō · to lend/borrowG1155
• turnἀποστρέφωapostrephō · to turn awayG654
• notμήmē · notG3361

Cross-references for Matthew 5:42

• Matthew 25:35I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home.
• Deuteronomy 15:7This is what you must do whenever there are poor Israelites in one of your cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
• Job 31:16“If I have refused the requests of the poor or made a widow’s eyes stop ⌞looking for help⌟,
• Psalms 37:21A wicked person borrows, but he does not repay. A righteous person is generous and giving.
• Psalms 112:5All goes well for the person who is generous and lends willingly. He earns an honest living.
• Proverbs 3:27Do not hold back anything good from those who are entitled to it when you have the power to do so.
• Proverbs 11:24One person spends freely and yet grows richer, while another holds back what he owes and yet grows poorer.
• Proverbs 19:17Whoever has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his good deed.
• Ecclesiastes 11:1Throw your bread on the surface of the water, because you will find it again after many days.
• Isaiah 58:6This is the kind of fasting I have chosen: Loosen the chains of wickedness, untie the straps of the yoke, let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke.
• Daniel 4:27“That is why, Your Majesty, my best advice is that you stop sinning, and do what is right. Stop committing the same errors, and have pity on the poor. Maybe you can prolong your prosperity.”
• Luke 6:30Give to everyone who asks you for something. If someone takes what is yours, don’t insist on getting it back.
• Luke 11:41Give what is inside as a gift to the poor, and then everything will be clean for you.
• Luke 14:12Then he told the man who had invited him, “When you invite people for lunch or dinner, don’t invite only your friends, family, other relatives, or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they will return the favor.
• Romans 12:20But, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will make him feel guilty and ashamed.”
• 2 Corinthians 9:6Remember this: The farmer who plants a few seeds will have a very small harvest. But the farmer who plants because he has received God’s blessings will receive a harvest of God’s blessings in return.

Commentaries on Matthew 5:42

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 42Give 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 42Give to him that asketh thee - This is the general rule. It is better to give sometimes to an undeserving person than to turn away one who is really in need. It is good to be in the habit of giving. At the same time, the rule must be interpreted so as to be consistent with our duty to our families 1 Timothy 5:8 and with other objects of justice and charity. It is seldom, perhaps never, good to give to a person who is able to work, 2 Thessalonians 3:10. 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. 42See Deuteronomy 15:7–11.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4242. Give to him that asketh thee--The sense of unreasonable asking is here implied (compare Lu 6:30). and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away--Though the word signifies classically "to have money lent to one on security," or "with interest," yet as this was not the original sense of the word, and as usury was forbidden among the Jews (Ex 22:25, &c.), it is doubtless simple borrowing which our Lord here means, as indeed the whole strain…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:42

• Alms
• Beneficence
• Borrowing
• Commandments
• Creditor
• Instruction
• Judaism
• Kindness
• Law
• Lending
• Liberality
• Love
• Meekness
• Poor
• Religion
• Retaliation

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Communication
• Debt
• 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