Matthew 5:21

Matthew 5:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
• New International Version (NIV)“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’

Context of Matthew 5:21

19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For 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. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matthew 5:21 word by word

Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις· οὐ φονεύσεις· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν φονεύσῃ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει·Read the interlinear

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Ye have heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• it was saidἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• by them of old timeἀρχαῖοςarchaios · ancientG744
• Thou shaltφονεύωphoneuō · to murderG5407
• notοὐou · noG3756
• andδέde · thenG1161
• whosoeverὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• shall beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• in dangerἔνοχοςenochos · liable forG1777
• of the judgmentκρίσιςkrisis · judgmentG2920

Cross-references for Matthew 5:21

• Matthew 5:27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
• 2 Samuel 20:18Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
• Job 8:8For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
• Genesis 9:5And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.
• Exodus 20:13Thou shalt not kill.
• Deuteronomy 5:17Thou shalt not kill.
• Exodus 21:12He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
• Numbers 35:12And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
• Deuteronomy 21:7And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
• 1 Kings 2:5Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

Commentaries on Matthew 5:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time - , to or by the ancients. By the ancients, we may understand those who lived before the law, and those who lived under it; for murder was, in the most solemn manner, forbidden before, as well as under, the law, Genesis 9:5, Genesis 9:6. But it is very likely that our Lord refers here merely to traditions and glosses relative to the ancient Mosaic ordinance; and such as, by their operation, rendered the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Ye have heard - Or, this is the common interpretation among the Jews. Jesus proceeds here to comment on some prevailing opinions among the Jews; to show that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was defective; and that people needed a better righteousness, or they could not be saved. He illustrates what he meant by that better righteousness by showing that the common opinions of the scribes were erroneous. By them of old time - This might be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-26Verses 21-26 The Jewish teachers had taught, that nothing except actual murder was forbidden by the sixth commandment. Thus they explained away its spiritual meaning. Christ showed the full meaning of this commandment; according to which we must be judged hereafter, and therefore ought to be ruled now. All rash anger is heart murder. By our brother, here, we are to understand any person, though ever so much below us, for we are all made of one blood…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21it was said to the ancients: The expression refers to the traditional interpretation of the teachers of religious law and Pharisees. Their traditions did not allow murder, but they did allow hatred. The righteous way of life required by Jesus surpasses this attitude. It demands people to live in peace with each other (Matthew 5:23–24). It is not enough to only avoid committing murder (5:22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time--or, as in the Margin, "to them of old time." Which of these translations is the right one has been much controverted. Either of them is grammatically defensible, though the latter--"to the ancients"--is more consistent with New Testament usage (see the Greek of Ro 9:12, 26; Re 6:11; 9:4); and most critics decide in favor of it. But it is not a question of Greek only. Nearly all who would translate…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:21

• Homicide
• Instruction
• Judaism
• Law
• Quotations and Allusions
• Religion
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Communication
• Council
• Despitefully
• Enemy
• Fornication
• Forswear
• Gift
• Hunger
• Inherit

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