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.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
- KJV Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
- NKJV “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
- NASB “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
- NLT “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus came not to abolish the Law or Prophets but to fulfill them. It affirms the abiding authority of Scripture and Christ's role in completing it.
Overview
Far from setting aside the Old Testament, Jesus brings it to its intended goal, obeying its commands, embodying its types, and fulfilling its prophecies. He upholds the Law's authority while interpreting it rightly against the distortions of His day. The whole of Scripture points to and is fulfilled in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Rom 10:4For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.
- Luke 16:17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
- Gal 4:4–5But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
- Rom 8:4so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
- Rom 3:31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.
- Isa 42:21The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious.
- Gal 3:17–24What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
- Matt 7:12In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
- Ps 40:6–8Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.
- Heb 10:3–12Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
- Col 2:16–17Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.
- Acts 6:13where they presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
- Acts 18:13“This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.
- Matt 3:15“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.
- John 8:5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”
- Acts 21:28crying out, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches everywhere against our people and against our law and against this place. Furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 5:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.