Logos Bible Study

Matthew 5:33–37

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33“Again, ayou have heard that 1the ancients were told, ‘2bYou shall not 3make false vows, but shall fulfill your 4vows to the 5Lord.’

34“But I say to you, amake no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is bthe throne of God,

35or by the earth, for it is the afootstool of His feet, or 1by Jerusalem, for it is bthe city of the great King.

36“Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

37“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is 1of athe evil one.

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Footnotes

  1. 1Lit it was said to the ancients
  2. 2you and your are singular here
  3. 3Or break your vows
  4. 4Lit oaths
  5. 5In OT, Yahweh, cf. Deut 23:21
  6. 1Or toward
  7. 1Or from evil

Cross references

  1. aMatt 5:21, 27, 38, 43; 23:16ff
  2. bLev 19:12; Num 30:2; Deut 23:21, 23
  3. aJames 5:12
  4. bIs 66:1; Matt 23:22
  5. aIs 66:1; Acts 7:49
  6. bPs 48:2
  7. aMatt 6:13; 13:19, 38; John 17:15; 2 Thess 3:3; 1 John 2:13f; 3:12; 5:18f

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

NLTNew Living Translation

“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Again you have heard that it was said to the people of old, ‘Do not swear falsely, but fulfill your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, because it is the throne of God, or by the earth, because it is the footstool of his feet, or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king. And do not swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. But let your statement be ‘Yes, yes; no, no,’ and anything beyond these is from the evil one.

KJV 1900King James Version

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.