Matthew 5:17-20
Wycliffe Bible
17 Do not ye deem, that I came to undo the law, or the prophets; I came not to undo the law, but to fulfill.[a]
18 Forsooth I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one letter [one i, that is the least letter,] or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all things be done.
19 Therefore he that breaketh one of these least commandments, and teacheth thus men, shall be called the least in the realm of heavens; but he that doeth, and teacheth, shall be called great in the kingdom of heavens.
20 And I say to you, that but your rightwiseness [shall] be more plenteous than of scribes and of Pharisees[b], ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heavens.
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- Matthew 5:17 Do not ye guess, or deem, that I came to undo, or destroy, the law, or the prophets; I came not to destroy, or undo, but to fulfill.
- Matthew 5:20 Forsooth I say to you, that but your rightwiseness shall be more plenteous than of scribes and Pharisees
Matthew 5:17-20
New Matthew Bible
17 Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. No, I have not come to destroy them, but to fulfil them. 18 For truly I say to you, till heaven and earth perish, not one jot or one tittle of the law shall escape, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, he will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever observes and teaches them, the same will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.
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Matthew 5:17-20
1599 Geneva Bible
17 [a]Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets. I am not come to destroy them, but to [b]fulfill them.
18 (A)For truly I say unto you, Till heaven and earth perish, one jot or one tittle of the Law shall not escape, till all things be fulfilled.
19 (B)[c]Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called the [d]least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall observe and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I say unto you, except your righteousness (C)exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
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- Matthew 5:17 Christ came not to bring any new way of righteousness and salvation into the world, but to fulfill that in deed which was shadowed by the figures of the Law, by delivering men through grace from the curse of the Law: and moreover to teach the true use of obedience which the Law appointed, and to engrave in our hearts the force of obedience.
- Matthew 5:17 That the prophecies may be accomplished.
- Matthew 5:19 He beginneth with the true expounding of the Law, and setteth it against the old (but yet false) glosses of the Scribes: So far is he from abolishing the least commandment of his Father.
- Matthew 5:19 He shall have no place in the Church.
Matthew 5:17-20
Authorized (King James) Version
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever 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. 20 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.
Read full chapter2001 by Terence P. Noble
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.