Matthew 5:19

Read in context

Matthew 5:17–21 · Berean Standard Bible

17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.

18 For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19 So 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.

20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’

Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Study Matthew 5:19

Read the commentary on Matthew 5

Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Deuteronomy 27:26

‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Psalms 119:6

Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments.

Psalms 119:128

Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way.

Galatians 3:10

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.”

Galatians 3:11

Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”

Galatians 3:12

The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”

Galatians 3:13

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

James 2:10

Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

James 2:11

For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Matthew 23:23

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Deuteronomy 12:32

See that you do everything I command you; do not add to it or subtract from it.

Luke 11:42

Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

Matthew 15:3

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

Matthew 15:4

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Matthew 15:5

But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’

Matthew 15:6

he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Matthew 23:16

Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

Matthew 23:17

You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

Matthew 23:18

And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’

Matthew 23:19

You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

Matthew 23:20

So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

Matthew 23:21

And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.

Matthew 23:22

And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.

Malachi 2:8

But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Malachi 2:9

“So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

Romans 3:8

Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!

Romans 6:1

What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase?

Romans 6:15

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Certainly not!

1 Timothy 6:3

If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,

1 Timothy 6:4

he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,

Revelation 2:14

But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

Revelation 2:15

In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Revelation 2:20

But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Matthew 11:11

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

1 Samuel 2:30

Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.

Matthew 28:20

and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:1

In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,

Romans 13:8

Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:9

The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Romans 13:10

Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Galatians 5:14

The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:15

But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

Galatians 5:16

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Galatians 5:18

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:19

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;

Galatians 5:20

idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,

Galatians 5:21

and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Galatians 5:23

gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:24

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Philippians 3:17

Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.

Philippians 3:18

For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

Philippians 4:9

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

1 Thessalonians 2:10

You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.

1 Thessalonians 2:11

For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children—

1 Thessalonians 2:12

encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 4:1

Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.

1 Thessalonians 4:2

For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:3

For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;

1 Thessalonians 4:4

each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

1 Thessalonians 4:5

not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;

1 Thessalonians 4:6

and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.

1 Thessalonians 4:7

For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness.

1 Timothy 4:11

Command and teach these things.

1 Timothy 4:12

Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 6:11

But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

Titus 2:8

and wholesome speech that is above reproach, so that anyone who opposes us will be ashamed to have nothing bad to say about us.

Titus 2:9

Slaves are to submit to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

Titus 2:10

not stealing from them, but showing all good faith, so that in every respect they will adorn the teaching about God our Savior.

Titus 3:8

This saying is trustworthy. And I want you to emphasize these things, so that those who have believed God will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for the people.

Matthew 19:28

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 20:26

It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

Daniel 12:3

Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.

Luke 1:15

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

Luke 9:48

And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

Luke 22:24

A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them would be considered the greatest.

Luke 22:25

So Jesus declared, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them call themselves benefactors.

Luke 22:26

But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.

1 Peter 5:4

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.