New International Version
Matthew 5:48
48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
- English Standard Version (ESV)You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Context of Matthew 5:48
46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:48 word by word
ἔσεσθε οὖν ὑμεῖς τέλειοι ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Matthew 5:48
- Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
- Leviticus 11:44I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.
- Leviticus 19:2“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
- Leviticus 20:26You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.
- Deuteronomy 18:13You must be blameless before the Lord your God.
- Job 1:1In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
- Psalms 37:37Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.
- Luke 6:36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
- 2 Corinthians 13:9We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.
- Philippians 3:12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
- Colossians 1:28He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
- Colossians 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
- James 1:4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
- 1 Peter 1:15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
- Matthew 5:16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:48
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 48Be ye therefore perfect - as your Father - God himself is the grand law, sole giver, and only pattern of the perfection which he recommends to his children. The words are very emphatic, , Ye shall be therefore perfect - ye shall be filled with the spirit of that God whose name is Mercy, and whose nature is love. God has many imitators of his power, independence, justice, etc., but few of his love, condescension, and kindness. He calls himself Love, to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 48Be ye therefore perfect - The Saviour concludes this part of the discourse by commanding his disciples to be “perfect.” This word commonly means “finished, complete, pure, holy.” Originally, it is applied to a piece of mechanism, as a machine that is complete in its parts. Applied to people, it refers to completeness of parts, or perfection, where no part is defective or wanting. Thus, Job Job 1:1 is said to be “perfect;” that is, not holy as God, or…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. 48This verse connects 5:20–48 as a single unit (see study note on Matthew 4:23–25). be perfect: The word “perfect” means maturity, wholeness, and full devotion to God. It describes a complete response to the message of Jesus about the kingdom (19:21; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 3:15; Colossians 1:28; 4:12; 1 John 4:18). True perfection has love at its center (see Luke 6:36).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4848. Be ye therefore--rather, "Ye shall therefore be," or "Ye are therefore to be," as My disciples and in My kingdom. perfect--or complete. Manifestly, our Lord here speaks, not of degrees of excellence, but of the kind of excellence which was to distinguish His disciples and characterize His kingdom. When therefore He adds, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect--He refers to that full-orbed glorious completeness which is in the great Divine…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:48
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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