Matthew 5:17-20
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.
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Matthew 5:17-20
New English Translation
Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them.[a] 18 I[b] tell you the truth,[c] until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter[d] will pass from the law until everything takes place. 19 So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others[e] to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law[f] and the Pharisees,[g] you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!
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- Matthew 5:17 tn Grk “not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Direct objects (“these things,” “them”) were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but have been supplied here to conform to contemporary English style.
- Matthew 5:18 tn Grk “For I tell.” Here an explanatory γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
- Matthew 5:18 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
- Matthew 5:18 tn Grk “Not one iota or one serif.” sn The smallest letter refers to the smallest Hebrew letter (yod) and the stroke of a letter to a serif (a hook or projection on a Hebrew letter).
- Matthew 5:19 tn Grk “teaches men” ( in a generic sense, people).
- Matthew 5:20 tn Or “that of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
- Matthew 5:20 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
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