New Living Translation
Matthew 5:20
20“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Matthew 5:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- New International Version (NIV)For 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Context of Matthew 5:20
18I 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. 19So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! 21“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:20 word by word
λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- Thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- righteousnessὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
- shall exceedπερισσεύωperisseuō · to exceedG4052
- ·πλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
- of the scribesγραμματεύςgrammateus · scribeG1122
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
- ye shallεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
- in noοὐou · noG3756
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
- of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
Cross-references for Matthew 5:20
- Matthew 23:2“The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.
- Luke 11:39Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness!
- Luke 12:1Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy.
- Luke 16:14The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him.
- Luke 18:10“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.
- Luke 20:46“Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.
- Romans 9:30What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
- Romans 10:2I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
- Philippians 3:9and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
- Matthew 3:10Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
- Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
- Matthew 18:5“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
- Mark 10:15I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
- Luke 18:17I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
- John 3:3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Commentaries on Matthew 5:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Except your righteousness shall exceed - , Unless your righteousness abound more - unless it take in, not only the letter, but the spirit and design of the moral and ritual precept; the one directing you how to walk so as to please God; the other pointing out Christ, the great Atonement, through and by which a sinner is enabled to do so - more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, who only attend to the letter of the law, and had indeed made even that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Your righteousness - Your holiness; your views of the nature of righteousness, and your conduct and lives. Unless you are more holy than they are, you cannot be saved. Shall exceed - Shall excel, or abound more. The righteousness of true Christians is seated in the heart, and is therefore genuine. Jesus means that unless they had more real holiness of character than the scribes and Pharisees, they could not be saved. The righteousness of the scribes and…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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Unless your righteousness exceeds: The disciples of Jesus need a new kind of righteousness that only he teaches and makes possible. Matthew 5:21–47 shows this and 5:48 summarizes what it is. This righteousness is different in amount and quality. Jesus is greater than the temple (12:6) and Jonah (12:41). So, the righteousness of his disciples must greatly surpass that of the Jewish religious teachers and Pharisees (see 3:7–9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees--The superiority to the Pharisaic righteousness here required is plainly in kind, not degree; for all Scripture teaches that entrance into God's kingdom, whether in its present or future stage, depends, not on the degree of our excellence in anything, but solely on our having the character itself which God demands. Our righteousness, then--if…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:20
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
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