New English Translation
Matthew 7:12
12In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law 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 he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets. 13“Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
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 6:31Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.
- Matthew 22:39The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
- Leviticus 19:18You must not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your people, but you must love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
- Isaiah 1:17Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
- Jeremiah 7:5You must change the way you have been living and do what is right. You must treat one another fairly.
- Ezekiel 18:7does not oppress anyone, but gives the debtor back whatever was given in pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and clothes the naked,
- Amos 5:14Seek good and not evil so you can live! Then the Lord, the God who commands armies, just might be with you, as you claim he is.
- Micah 6:8He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.
- Zechariah 7:7Should you not have obeyed the words that the Lord cried out through the former prophets when Jerusalem was peacefully inhabited and her surrounding cities, the Negev, and the Shephelah were also populated?
- Zechariah 8:16These are the things you must do: Speak the truth, each of you, to one another. Practice true and righteous judgment in your courts.
- Malachi 3:5“I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all.
- Mark 12:29Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
- Romans 13:8Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Galatians 5:13For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
- 1 Timothy 1:5But the aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
- James 2:10For the one who obeys the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
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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