New International Version
Matthew 5:18
18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Matthew 5:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
- New Living Translation (NLT)I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.
Context of Matthew 5:18
16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:18 word by word
ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν· ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
- I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- Tillἕωςheōs · untilG2193
- ·ἄνan · ifG302
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- passπαρέρχομαιparerchomai · to pass byG3928
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- jotἰῶταiōta · iotaG2503
- orἤē · orG2228
- tittleκεραίαkeraia · tittleG2762
- in noοὐou · noG3756
- wiseμήmē · notG3361
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- be fulfilledγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
Cross-references for Matthew 5:18
- Matthew 5:26Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
- Matthew 6:2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
- Matthew 8:10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
- Matthew 10:15Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
- Matthew 11:11Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
- Matthew 13:17For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
- Matthew 16:28“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
- Matthew 17:20He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
- Matthew 18:3And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 19:23Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 21:21Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
- Matthew 23:36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
- Matthew 24:2“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
- Matthew 25:12“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
- Matthew 26:13Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
- Mark 3:28Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter,
Commentaries on Matthew 5:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven - In the very commencement of his ministry, Jesus Christ teaches the instability of all visible things. "The heaven which you see, and which is so glorious, and the earth which you inhabit and love, shall pass away; for the things which are seen are temporal, , are for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal , ever-during," 2 Corinthians 4:18. And the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. One jot or one…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Verily - Truly, certainly. A word of strong affirmation. Till heaven and earth pass - This expression denotes that the law never would be destroyed until it should be all fulfilled. It is the same as saying everything else may change; the very earth and heaven may pass away, but the law of God shall not be destroyed until its whole design has been accomplished. One jot - The word “jot,” or yod(י y), is the name of the Hebrew letter I, the smallest letter…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-20Verses 17-20 Let none suppose that Christ allows his people to trifle with any commands of God's holy law. No sinner partakes of Christ's justifying righteousness, till he repents of his evil deeds. The mercy revealed in the gospel leads the believer to still deeper self-abhorrence. The law is the Christian's rule of duty, and he delights therein. If a man, pretending to be Christ's disciple, encourages himself in any allowed disobedience to the holy law…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. For verily I say unto you--Here, for the first time, does that august expression occur in our Lord's recorded teaching, with which we have grown so familiar as hardly to reflect on its full import. It is the expression manifestly, of supreme legislative authority; and as the subject in connection with which it is uttered is the Moral Law, no higher claim to an authority strictly divine could be advanced. For when we observe how jealously Jehovah…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:18
In the dictionaries
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
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