Tree of Life Version
Matthew 5:48
48Therefore be perfect, just as your Father in heaven 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father 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.
Context of Matthew 5:48
46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than anyone else? Even the pagans do that, don’t they? Therefore be perfect, just as your Father in heaven 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 99 years old, Adonai appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Continually walk before Me and you will be blameless.
- Leviticus 11:44“For I am Adonai your God. Therefore, sanctify yourselves, and be holy, for I am holy. You are not to defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth.
- Leviticus 19:2“Speak to all the congregation of Bnei-Yisrael and tell them: You shall be kedoshim, for I, Adonai your God, am holy.
- Leviticus 20:26You are to be holy to Me, for I, Adonai, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, so that you would be Mine.
- Deuteronomy 18:13You are to be blameless before Adonai your God.
- Job 1:1There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. Now that man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
- Psalms 37:37Notice the man of integrity and watch the upright— for the man of shalom has a future.
- Luke 6:36Be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate to you.”
- 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, loved ones, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- 2 Corinthians 13:9For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray for this—your perfecting.
- Philippians 3:12Not that I have already obtained this or been perfected, but I press on if only I might take hold of that for which Messiah Yeshua took hold of me.
- Colossians 1:28We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Messiah.
- Colossians 4:12Epaphras, who is one of your own, a slave of Messiah Yeshua, greets you. He is always laboring in prayer on your behalf, so you may stand complete and fully assured about everything that is God’s will.
- James 1:4And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
- 1 Peter 1:15Instead, just like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in everything you do.
- Matthew 5:16In the same way, let your light shine before men so they may see your good works 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries