Matthew 5:46

Matthew 5:46 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
• New International Version (NIV)If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Context of Matthew 5:46

44But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. 45In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust. If you love those who love you, do you deserve a reward? Even the tax collectors do that! 47Are you doing anything remarkable if you welcome only your friends? Everyone does that! 48That is why you must be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:46 word by word

ἐὰν γὰρ ἀγαπήσητε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, τίνα μισθὸν ἔχετε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ τελῶναι τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• ye loveἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• youσύsu · youG4771
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408
• have yeἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• the publicansτελώνηςtelōnēs · tax collectorG5057
• the sameαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Matthew 5:46

• Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.
• Luke 6:32“If you love those who love you, do you deserve any thanks for that? Even sinners love those who love them.
• 1 Peter 2:20What credit do you deserve if you endure a beating for doing something wrong? But if you endure suffering for doing something good, God is pleased with you.
• Matthew 9:10Later Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples.
• Matthew 11:19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He’s a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ “Yet, wisdom is proved right by its actions.”
• Matthew 18:17If he ignores these witnesses, tell it to the community of believers. If he also ignores the community, deal with him as you would a heathen or a tax collector.
• Matthew 21:31“Which of the two sons did what the father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Tax collectors and prostitutes are going into God’s kingdom ahead of you.
• Luke 15:1All the tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus.
• Luke 18:13“But the tax collector was standing at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead, he became very upset, and he said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
• Luke 19:2A man named Zacchaeus was there. He was the director of tax collectors, and he was rich.

Commentaries on Matthew 5:46

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 46For if ye love them which love you - He who loves only his friends, does nothing for God's sake. He who loves for the sake of pleasure or interest, pays himself. God has no enemy which he hates but sin; we should have no other. The publicans - That is, tax-gatherers, , from a tax, and I buy or farm. A farmer or collector of the taxes or public revenues. Of these there were two classes; the superior, who were Romans of the equestrian order; and the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 46What reward have ye? - The word “reward” seems to be used in the sense of “deserving of praise.” If you only love those that love you, you are selfish; it is not genuine love for the “character,” but love for the “benefit,” and you deserve no commendation. The very “publicans” would do the same. The publicans - The publicans were tax-gatherers. Judea was a province of the Roman empire. The Jews bore this foreign yoke with great impatience, and paid their…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. 43-47Hate your enemy: Jesus is not rejecting the Old Testament. Instead, he is correcting a traditional interpretation that was mistaken (see Exodus 23:4–5). The Old Testament never commands people to “hate your enemy.” The closest verses are in Psalm 139:21–22, where hatred is expressed toward God’s enemies.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4646. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?--The publicans, as collectors of taxes due to the Roman government, were ever on this account obnoxious to the Jews, who sat uneasy under a foreign yoke, and disliked whatever brought this unpleasantly before them. But the extortion practiced by this class made them hateful to the community, who in their current speech ranked them with "harlots." Nor does our…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:46

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

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Communication
• Custom
• 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