Matthew 5:46
New International Version
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

New Living Translation
If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.

English Standard Version
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Berean Standard Bible
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?

Berean Literal Bible
For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

King James Bible
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

New King James Version
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

New American Standard Bible
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same?

NASB 1995
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

NASB 1977
“For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same?

Legacy Standard Bible
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Amplified Bible
For if you love [only] those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?

Christian Standard Bible
For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?

American Standard Version
For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Contemporary English Version
If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors love their friends.

English Revised Version
For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If you love those who love you, do you deserve a reward? Even the tax collectors do that!

Good News Translation
Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that!

International Standard Version
If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don't they?

Majority Standard Bible
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?

NET Bible
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don't they?

New Heart English Bible
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Webster's Bible Translation
For if ye love them who love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Weymouth New Testament
For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that?

World English Bible
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For if you may love those loving you, what reward do you have? Do the tax collectors not also do the same?

Berean Literal Bible
For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Young's Literal Translation
'For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same?

Smith's Literal Translation
For if ye love them loving you, what reward have you? do not also the tax collectors the same?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this?

Catholic Public Domain Version
For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way?

New American Bible
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?

New Revised Standard Version
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For if you love only those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even the publicans do the same thing?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For if you love those who love you, what benefit is it to you? Behold, do not even the Tax Collectors the same thing?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans the same?

Godbey New Testament
For if you love those that love you, what reward have ye? because the publicans also do the same.

Haweis New Testament
For if ye love those who love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same thing?

Mace New Testament
but if you love only them who love you, what reward can ye have? do not the heathens themselves do as much?

Weymouth New Testament
For if you love only those who love you, what reward have you earned? Do not even the tax-gatherers do that?

Worrell New Testament
For, if ye love those who love you, what reward have ye? do not even the tax-collectors the same?

Worsley New Testament
For if ye love only them that love you, what reward do ye expect? do not even the publicans the same?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love Your Enemies
45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?…

Cross References
Luke 6:32-33
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. / If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same.

Luke 6:27-28
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, / bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Romans 12:9-10
Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. / Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

Romans 12:14
Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

Romans 12:17-21
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. / If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. / Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” ...

1 John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. / Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:19-21
We love because He first loved us. / If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. / And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. / If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. / If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. / It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. / Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. ...

James 2:8
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.

Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. / For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

Proverbs 24:17-18
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, / or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.

Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. / Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”—when you already have the means.


Treasury of Scripture

For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? do not even the publicans the same?

if.

Matthew 6:1
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Luke 6:32-35
For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them…

1 Peter 2:20-23
For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God…

publicans.

Matthew 9:10,11
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples…

Matthew 11:19
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Matthew 18:17
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Jump to Previous
Collectors Credit Earned Love Publicans Reward Tax Tax-Farmers Tax-Gatherers
Jump to Next
Collectors Credit Earned Love Publicans Reward Tax Tax-Farmers Tax-Gatherers
Matthew 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.














If you love
The Greek word for "love" here is "agapate," derived from "agapao," which signifies a selfless, sacrificial love. This is the same love that God shows humanity, a love that is unconditional and not based on merit. In the context of Jesus' teaching, this love transcends natural human affection and calls believers to emulate the divine love that God has for all people, regardless of their actions or attitudes towards us.

those who love you
This phrase highlights the natural human tendency to reciprocate affection. In the cultural and historical context of Jesus' time, relationships were often transactional, based on mutual benefit. Jesus challenges this norm by calling His followers to a higher standard of love that is not limited to those who are easy to love or who offer something in return.

what reward will you get?
The concept of "reward" in the Greek is "misthos," which can refer to wages or compensation. In a spiritual sense, Jesus is asking what eternal or divine benefit there is in loving only those who love us back. The implication is that true discipleship involves seeking a heavenly reward, which comes from loving as God loves, without expectation of earthly recompense.

Do not even tax collectors do the same?
Tax collectors in Jesus' time were often despised by the Jewish people because they were seen as collaborators with the Roman occupiers and were notorious for their corruption and greed. By using tax collectors as an example, Jesus emphasizes that even those considered morally questionable or sinful are capable of loving those who love them. This rhetorical question serves to challenge His followers to rise above the common standards of love and to reflect the radical, inclusive love of God.

(46) The publicans.--An account of the "publicans" of our Lord's time will find a more fitting place in the Notes on Matthew 9:9. Here, it may be remarked that our Lord puts Himself, as it were, on the level of those to whom He speaks. They despised the publicans as below them, almost as a Pariah caste, and He speaks, as if He were using their own familiar language, yet with a widely different application. Were they after all above the publicans, if they confined their love to a reciprocity of good offices?

Verse 46. - Vers. 46, 47; parallel passage: Luke 6:32, 33. For if, etc. The principle of the Law, reciprocity - love your neighbour and him only - is in reality no better than the principle adopted by those who are renegades to true religion (οἱ τελῶναι), or by those who have no knowledge of it (οἱ ἐθνικοί). Such a principle brings with it no other corresponding effect (μισθός, ver. 12, note) than such as even these receive. You aim at more, the privileges belonging to the sons of God; therefore do more. What reward have ye? i.e. already entered in God's book of account (Winer, § 40:2, a). The publicans; Revised Version margin, "That is, collectors or renters of Roman taxes: and so elsewhere." To this short description little need be added. The Roman system of taxation was to put up the country, or certain productions of the country, at auction, and to "sell" them to any who would undertake to pay the greatest amount of revenue from them (cf. also Josephus's account of the Egyptian method, B.C. 250, 'Ant.,' 12:04. 4; and Sayce's article in the Jewish Quarterly, July, 1890, on a Jewish taxgatherer at Thebes, B.C. 140). This contract was in turn divided and subdivided, those who actually drew the money from the people being generally natives. It thus being the interest of every contractor and sub-contractor to squeeze as much as possible from those under him, the whole system was demoralizing to all engaged in it. In the case of Judaea it was especially so, as there was a strong feeling among religious Jews against the lawfulness of paying taxes to a Gentile ruler (cf. Matthew 22:17, note). It is no wonder, therefore, that we find the native collectors (even of districts where the money raised went to Antipas's treasury, Matthew 9:9, note) classed with "harlots" (Matthew 21:31), "sinners" (Matthew 9:11), the heathen (ver. 4:7; Matthew 18:17). Yet out of these one was chosen to be among the twelve, and to write that Gospel which specially describes the relation of Jesus of Nazareth to the religious expectations of the nation.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

you love
ἀγαπήσητε (agapēsēte)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 25: To love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem. Perhaps from agan; to love.

those
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative 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.

who love
ἀγαπῶντας (agapōntas)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 25: To love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem. Perhaps from agan; to love.

you,
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

what
τίνα (tina)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

reward
μισθὸν (misthon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3408: (a) pay, wages, salary, (b) reward, recompense, punishment. Apparently a primary word; pay for service, good or bad.

will you get?
ἔχετε (echete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

Do not
οὐχὶ (ouchi)
IntPrtcl
Strong's 3780: By no means, not at all. Intensive of ou; not indeed.

even
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

tax collectors
τελῶναι (telōnai)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5057: A publican, collector of taxes. From telos and oneomai; a tax-farmer, i.e. Collector of public revenue.

do
ποιοῦσιν (poiousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

same?
αὐτὸ (auto)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


Links
Matthew 5:46 NIV
Matthew 5:46 NLT
Matthew 5:46 ESV
Matthew 5:46 NASB
Matthew 5:46 KJV

Matthew 5:46 BibleApps.com
Matthew 5:46 Biblia Paralela
Matthew 5:46 Chinese Bible
Matthew 5:46 French Bible
Matthew 5:46 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Matthew 5:46 For if you love those who love (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 5:45
Top of Page
Top of Page