Matthew 5:17-20
New American Standard Bible
17 “Do not presume that I came to abolish the (A)Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, (B)until heaven and earth pass away, not [a]the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished! 19 Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches [b]others to do the same, shall be called least (C)in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever [c]keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 “For I say to you that unless your (D)righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 5:18 Lit one iota (Heb yodh) or one projection (serif)
- Matthew 5:19 Lit people
- Matthew 5:19 Lit does
Matthew 5:17-20
Common English Bible
Jesus and the Law
17 “Don’t even begin to think that I have come to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I haven’t come to do away with them but to fulfill them. 18 I say to you very seriously that as long as heaven and earth exist, neither the smallest letter nor even the smallest stroke of a pen will be erased from the Law until everything there becomes a reality. 19 Therefore, whoever ignores one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called the lowest in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps these commands and teaches people to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 I say to you that unless your righteousness is greater than the righteousness of the legal experts and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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