God’s Word Translation
Matthew 7:12
12“Always do for other people everything you want them to do for you. That is ⌞the meaning of⌟ Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
- New International Version (NIV)So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Context of Matthew 7:12
10Or if your child asks for a fish, would you give him a snake? 11Even though you’re evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him? “Always do for other people everything you want them to do for you. That is ⌞the meaning of⌟ Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets. 13“Enter through the narrow gate because the gate and road that lead to destruction are wide. Many enter through the wide gate. 14But the narrow gate and the road that lead to life are full of trouble. Only a few people find the narrow gate.
Read all of Matthew 7Matthew 7:12 word by word
Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
- whatsoeverὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
- ·ἄνan · ifG302
- ye wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- menὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- should doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- to youσύsu · youG4771
- evenοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- soκαίkai · andG2532
- to themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- the prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
Cross-references for Matthew 7:12
- Luke 6:31“Do for other people everything you want them to do for you.
- Matthew 22:39The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’
- Leviticus 19:18Never get revenge. Never hold a grudge against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am the Lord.
- Isaiah 1:17Learn to do good. Seek justice. Arrest oppressors. Defend orphans. Plead the case of widows.”
- Jeremiah 7:5“ ‘Suppose you really change the way you live and act and you really treat each other fairly.
- Ezekiel 18:7He doesn’t oppress anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security for a loan. He doesn’t rob anyone. He gives food to people who are hungry, and he gives clothes to those who are naked.
- Amos 5:14Search for good instead of evil so that you may live. Then the Lord God of Armies will be with you, as you have said.
- Micah 6:8You mortals, the Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God.
- Zechariah 7:7Aren’t these the same words that the Lord announced through the earlier prophets, when Jerusalem and its surrounding cities were inhabited and undisturbed and the Negev and the foothills were still inhabited?’ ”
- Zechariah 8:16You must do these things: Speak the truth to each other. Give correct and fair verdicts for peace in your courts.
- Malachi 3:5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies.
- Mark 12:29Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord.
- Romans 13:8Pay your debts as they come due. However, one debt you can never finish paying is the debt of love that you owe each other. The one who loves another person has fulfilled Moses’ Teachings.
- Galatians 5:13You were indeed called to be free, brothers and sisters. Don’t turn this freedom into an excuse for your corrupt nature to express itself. Rather, serve each other through love.
- 1 Timothy 1:5My goal in giving you this order is for love to flow from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith.
- James 2:10If someone obeys all of God’s laws except one, that person is guilty of breaking all of them.
Commentaries on Matthew 7:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men - This is a most sublime precept, and highly worthy of the grandeur and beneficence of the just God who gave it. The general meaning of it is this: "Guided by justice and mercy, do unto all men as you would have them to do to you, were your circumstances and theirs reversed." Yet this saying may be misunderstood. "If the prisoner should ask the judge, 'whether he would be content to be hanged, were he in…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12All things whatsoever - This command has been usually called the “Saviour‘s golden rule,” a name given to it on account of its great value. All that you “expect” or “desire” of others in similar circumstances, do to them. Act not from selfishness or injustice, but put yourself in the place of the other, and ask what you would expect of him. This would make you impartial, candid, and just. It would destroy avarice, envy, treachery, unkindness, slander…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-14Verses 12-14 Christ came to teach us, not only what we are to know and believe, but what we are to do; not only toward God, but toward men; not only toward those of our party and persuasion, but toward men in general, all with whom we have to do. We must do that to our neighbour which we ourselves acknowledge to be fit and reasonable. We must, in our dealings with men, suppose ourselves in the same case and circumstances with those we have to do with, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The Law and the Prophets: The teachings of Jesus in 5:21–7:6 show the true purpose and way to express the law of Moses. Love is central for the disciples of Jesus (see also Galatians 5:13–14, 18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Therefore--to say all in one word. all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them--the same thing and in the same way. for this is the law and the prophets--"This is the substance of all relative duty; all Scripture in a nutshell." Incomparable summary! How well called "the royal law!" (Jas 2:8; compare Ro 13:9). It is true that similar maxims are found floating in the writings of the cultivated Greeks and Romans, and…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 7:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 7
- 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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