Matthew 5:38–44
Jesus contrasts an eye for an eye with not resisting evil and loving enemies
Study it word by word38“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
39But I tell you not to resist the evil person; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40And to the one who wants to go to court with you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak too.
41And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
In its context
36Nor swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
37But let your word be ‘Yes, yes,’ ‘No, no’; and what is more than these is from the evil one.
…
45so that you may become sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Its words in the original
- ἨκούσατεĒkousate· hear, listen
Hear, listen; also heed.
- ἐρρέθηerrethē· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- ὈφθαλμὸνOphthalmon· eye
Eye.
- ἀντὶanti· in place of, for
Instead of, in exchange for.
- ὀδόνταodonta· tooth
Tooth.
- ἀντιστῆναιantistēnai· resist, oppose
Resist, oppose, stand against.
- πονηρῷponērōi· evil, wicked
Bad, wicked. "The evil one": the devil.
- ῥαπίζειrhapizei· slap
Slap, strike someone in the face with the hand.
- δεξιὰνdexian· right
Right (hand, side).
- σιαγόναsiagona· cheek
Cheek, jaw.
- στρέψονstrepson· turn
Turn, turn around; change.
- ἄλληνallēn· other, another
Other, another.
- θέλοντίthelonti· want, wish
Want, wish, be willing.
- κριθῆναιkrithēnai· judge
Judge; in the passive, be judged, go to court.
- χιτῶνάchitōna· tunic
Tunic: the inner garment, reaching to the knees.
- λαβεῖνlabein· take, receive
Take, receive.
- ἄφεςaphes· let go, forgive
Leave, let go, allow; said of sins and debts, forgive.
- ἱμάτιονhimation· cloak, clothes
Cloak, the outer garment; in the plural, clothes.
- ἀγγαρεύσειangareusei· force into service
Force someone to carry a load or do a service, as soldiers could do.
- μίλιονmilion· mile
Mile: the Roman mile, about 1,480 meters.
- ἕνhen· one
One.
- ὕπαγεhypage· go away
Go away, leave; "go!".
- δύοdyo· two
Two.
- αἰτοῦντίaitounti· ask
Ask, ask for.
- δόςdos· give
Give.
- δανίσασθαιdanisasthai· lend
Lend; in the middle, borrow.
- ἀποστραφῇςapostraphēis· turn away
Turn away, remove; turn one's back on, reject; also turn back, return.
- ἈγαπήσειςAgapēseis· love
Love: to seek the good of the other, even of someone who does not deserve it.
- πλησίονplēsion· near, neighbor
Near; "the neighbor": the one who is near, the other person.
- μισήσειςmisēseis· hate
Hate.
- ἐχθρόνechthron· enemy
Enemy; hostile.
- προσεύχεσθεproseuchesthe· pray
Pray: speak with God.
- διωκόντωνdiōkontōn· persecute, pursue
Persecute, pursue; also strive after.