33 “Again, (A)you have heard that [a]the ancients were told, ‘[b](B)You shall not [c]make false vows, but shall fulfill your [d]vows to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, (C)take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is (D)the throne of God, 35 nor by the earth, for it is the (E)footstool of His feet, nor [e]by Jerusalem, for it is (F)the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But make sure your statement is, ‘[f]Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is [g]of (G)evil origin.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:33 Lit it was said to the ancients
  2. Matthew 5:33 you and your are singular here
  3. Matthew 5:33 Or break your vows
  4. Matthew 5:33 Lit oaths
  5. Matthew 5:35 Or toward
  6. Matthew 5:37 I.e., a clear “yes” or “no”
  7. Matthew 5:37 Or from the evil one

33-37 “Again, you have heard that the people in the old days were told—‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord’, but I say to you, don’t use an oath at all. Don’t swear by Heaven for it is God’s throne, nor by the earth for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem for it is the city of the great king. No, and don’t swear by your own head, for you cannot make a single hair—white or black! Whatever you have to say let your ‘yes’ be a plain ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ a plain ‘no’—anything more than this has a taint of evil.

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