Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. New Living Translation “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! English Standard Version For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Berean Standard Bible For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Berean Literal Bible For I say to you that unless your righteousness shall abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall never enter into the kingdom of the heavens. King James Bible 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. New King James Version For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. New American Standard Bible “For I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. NASB 1995 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. NASB 1977 “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Legacy Standard Bible “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Amplified Bible “For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Christian Standard Bible For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. Holman Christian Standard Bible For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. American Standard Version For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Contemporary English Version You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. English Revised Version For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. GOD'S WORD® Translation I can guarantee that unless you live a life that has God's approval and do it more faithfully than the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Good News Translation I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires. International Standard Version because I tell you, unless your righteousness greatly exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom from heaven!" Majority Standard Bible For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. NET Bible For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. New Heart English Bible For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the kingdom of heaven. Webster's Bible Translation For I say to 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. Weymouth New Testament For I assure you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will certainly not find entrance into the Kingdom of the Heavens. World English Bible For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor I say to you that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, you may not enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Berean Literal Bible For I say to you that unless your righteousness shall abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall never enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Young's Literal Translation 'For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens. Smith's Literal Translation For I say to you, That except your justice abound more than the scribes and Pharisees, ye should not come into the kingdom of the heavens. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Catholic Public Domain Version For I say to you, that unless your justice has surpassed that of the scribes and the Pharisees you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. New American Bible I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. New Revised Standard Version For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Aramaic Bible in Plain English For I say to you, that unless your goodness will exceed that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. NT Translations Anderson New TestamentFor I say to you, That, unless your righteousness excel that of the scribes and Pharisees, you can by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven. Godbey New Testament Haweis New Testament For I say unto you, That except your righteousness abounds more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Mace New Testament for I declare to you, that except your righteousness shall exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the heavenly kingdom. Weymouth New Testament For I assure you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you will certainly not find entrance into the Kingdom of the Heavens. Worrell New Testament Worsley New Testament Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Fulfillment of the Law…19So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 21You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’… Cross References Romans 10:3 Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Philippians 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. Luke 18:9-14 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: / “Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. / The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ... Romans 3:20-22 Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin. / But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. / And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, Galatians 2:16 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. Romans 9:30-32 What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; / but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. / Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone, James 2:20-24 O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless? / Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? / You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did. ... Romans 4:5-6 However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. / And David speaks likewise of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: Galatians 3:10-11 All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” / Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” Isaiah 64:6 Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind. Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. / And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances. Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Hebrews 10:14 because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified. Treasury of Scripture For I say to you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. exceed. Matthew 23:2-5,23-28 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: … Luke 11:39,40,44 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness… Luke 12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ye. Matthew 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18:5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. Jump to Previous Abound Assure Case Enter Entrance Exceed Exceeds Except Find Greatly Heaven Heavens Kingdom Law Pharisees Reign Righteousness Scribes Surpass Surpasses Teachers Unless Way WiseJump to Next Abound Assure Case Enter Entrance Exceed Exceeds Except Find Greatly Heaven Heavens Kingdom Law Pharisees Reign Righteousness Scribes Surpass Surpasses Teachers Unless Way WiseMatthew 5 1. Jesus' sermon on the mount:3. The Beattitudes; 13. the salt of the earth; 14. the light of the world. 17. He came to fulfill the law. 21. What it is to kill; 27. to commit adultery; 33. to swear. 38. He exhorts to forgive wrong, 43. to love our enemies; 48. and to labor after perfection. For I tell you This phrase underscores the authority of Jesus as a teacher and prophet. In the Greek, "λέγω ὑμῖν" (legō hymin) is a direct and personal address, emphasizing the importance of what follows. Jesus often uses this phrase to introduce teachings that challenge conventional wisdom, urging listeners to pay close attention. unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never enter the kingdom of heaven Scribes and Pharisees.--Here, for the first time, the scribes are mentioned in our Lord's teaching. The frequent combination of the two words (thirteen times in the first three Gospels) implies that for the most part they were of the school of the Pharisees, just as the "chief priests" were, for the most part, of that of the Sadducees. Where "scribes and chief priests" are united, it is with a different import, as the two chief divisions of the Sanhedrim, or Great Council. The New Testament use of the word differs from the Old. There the scribe is simply the man who writes, the secretary or registrar of the king's edicts and official documents (2Samuel 8:17; 2Samuel 20:25; 2Kings 18:18). After the return of Babylon, as in the case of Ezra (Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:12), it was used first of the transcribers and editors of the sacred books, and then, by a natural transition, of their interpreters; and this is the dominant sense of the word in the New Testament. As interpreters they were much occupied with the traditional comments of previous teachers, and these as descending more into particulars, and so affording a better basis for a casuistic system, had come to usurp the rightful place of the Law. As far as the three Gospels are concerned this is the first direct protest of our Lord against their teaching. St. John's record, however, shows that the conflict had begun already in Jerusalem (John 5:10), and that the Sabbath question was prominent in it. . . . Verse 20. - Matthew only. The verse from "except" to the end is quoted verbally in Justin Martyr ('Trypho,' § 105), as being in "the Memoirs." For I say. So far from you my disciples (ver. 13) being right in despising any of the commands contained in the Law, they are all to be specially honoured by you; for your righteousness (i.e. the righteousness you show in observing them; there is no thought here of the imputed righteousness of Christ) must far exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees; otherwise there is no entrance for you into the kingdom of heaven. But wherein lay the superiority of the righteousness which the disciples were to have? Did our Lord mean that his disciples were to painfully toil through the various enactments, ceremonial and other, of the Law as the scribes and Pharisees did, only with more serious and earnest purpose than they? That were in the case of many scribes and Pharisees hardly possible. For notwithstanding our Lord's occasional denunciations, many of them were men of the severest earnestness and the deepest conscientiousness, e.g. Gamaliel and Saul of Tarsus. Our Lord must refer to the Law otherwise than as a system of enactments. His thought is similar to that of his words addressed to Nicodemus (John 3:5), where he says that change of heart evidenced by public profession (cf. Romans 10:10) is necessary for entrance into the kingdom of God (cf. also Matthew 18:8). So here; while the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, even when joined to earnestness of purpose, nevertheless consists in the observance of external rules, there is a higher principle in the Law, by observing which a higher righteousness can be attained. Christ points, that is to say, away from the Law as a system of external rules to the Law in its deeper meaning, affecting the relation of the heart to God (cf. further Weiss, 'Life,' 2:147). Shall exceed; rather, shall abound still more than. The statement is not merely comparative, but implies an abundance (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:10)even in the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. The Jewish spirit reckons up good actions as producing in many cases even a superfluity of righteousness. But the righteousness which Christ's disciples must have needs to be still more abundant. The righteousness; omitted in the Greek (Westcott and Herr) by condensation. The scribes and Pharisees. The most learned (scribes) and the most zealous (Pharisees) in the Law (cf. Nosgen) are here placed in one class (τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων). Ye shall in no case; Revised Version, in no wise. "The emphatic negative οὐ μή is not elsewhere so rendered in the Authorized Version. The previous versions have in this place simply . ye shall not,' following the Vulgate,. non intrabitis" (Humphry) Enter into the kingdom of heaven (cf. Matthew 18:3; Matthew 7:21). A much stronger statement than that of ver. 19, though some would identify the two. There Christ was comparing one disciple with another; here his disciples with non-disciples. "Such a relaxing for yourselves and others of the commandments will set you low in the true kingdom of obedience and holiness; but this of having a righteousness so utterly false and hollow as that of the scribes and Pharisees will not merely set you low, but will exclude you from that kingdom altogether (ver. 20); for while that marks an impaired spiritual vision, this marks a vision utterly darkened and destroyed" (Trench, ' Sermon on the Mount').Parallel Commentaries ... Greek Forγὰρ (gar) Conjunction Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason. I tell λέγω (legō) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command. you ὑμῖν (hymin) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. that ὅτι (hoti) Conjunction Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because. unless ἐὰν (ean) Conjunction Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc. your ὑμῶν (hymōn) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. righteousness δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification. exceeds περισσεύσῃ (perisseusē) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 4052: From perissos; to superabound, be in excess, be superfluous; also to cause to superabound or excel. [that] of the τῶν (tōn) Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. scribes γραμματέων (grammateōn) Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 1122: From gramma. A writer, i.e. scribe or secretary. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. Pharisees, Φαρισαίων (Pharisaiōn) Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 5330: Of Hebrew origin; a separatist, i.e. Exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary. you will never enter εἰσέλθητε (eiselthēte) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 1525: To go in, come in, enter. From eis and erchomai; to enter. the τὴν (tēn) Article - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. kingdom βασιλείαν (basileian) Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 932: From basileus; properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm. of τῶν (tōn) Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. heaven. οὐρανῶν (ouranōn) Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel. Links Matthew 5:20 NIVMatthew 5:20 NLT Matthew 5:20 ESV Matthew 5:20 NASB Matthew 5:20 KJV Matthew 5:20 BibleApps.com Matthew 5:20 Biblia Paralela Matthew 5:20 Chinese Bible Matthew 5:20 French Bible Matthew 5:20 Catholic Bible NT Gospels: Matthew 5:20 For I tell you that unless your (Matt. Mat Mt) |
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