Matthew 5:43
Matthew 5:43 | |
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← 5:42 5:44 → | |
Book | Gospel of Matthew |
Christian Bible part | New Testament |
Matthew 5:43 is the forty-third verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse is the opening of the final antithesis, that on the commandment to "Love thy neighbour as thyself".
Content
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
- Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou
- shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
The World English Bible translates the passage as:
- "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall
- love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'"
The Novum Testamentum Graece text is:
- Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη
- Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου καὶ μισήσεις τὸν ἐχθρόν σου.
Analysis
This verse begins like the other antitheses with a reference to the Old Testament. "Love your neighbour" comes from Leviticus 19:18 and is part of the Great Commandment.[1] In Jesus' time neighbour was interpreted to mean fellow Israelites, and to exclude all others. In full the Leviticus verse states that you should love your neighbour "as you love yourself." Leaving out this last phrase somewhat reduces its demands. As the second part makes clear, however, Jesus was probably not making a reference to scripture, but rather to a common interpretation.
Nowhere in the Old Testament does it directly state that one should hate one's enemies, but it is implied by several verses, such as in
See also
References
- ^ Leviticus 19:18
- ^ 1 Samuel 24:19
- ^ France, R.T. The Gospel According to Matthew: an Introduction and Commentary. Leicester: Inter-Varsity, 1985. pg. 128
- ^ Nolland, John. The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005 pg. 265
Bibliography
- Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1992.
- Sabourin, Leopold. The Gospel According to Matthew. Bombay: St. Paul Publications, 1983.
- Schweizer, Eduard. The Good News According to Matthew. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975
External links
- BibleHub Matthew 5:43 - Collection of other versions
Preceded by Matthew 5:42 |
Gospel of Matthew Chapter 5 |
Succeeded by Matthew 5:44 |