“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’
Parallel translations
- WEB “Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,’
- KJV 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:
- BSB Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- NASB “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- NLT “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.’
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 recalls the command against false vows and the duty to keep oaths to the Lord. It introduces His teaching on truthful speech.
Overview
Citing the Old Testament teaching on vows, Jesus prepares to address the misuse of oaths. People had developed evasive ways of swearing to avoid full commitment. He will call for a simpler, deeper truthfulness that needs no elaborate oaths.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Deut 23:21When you vow a vow to Yahweh your God, you shall not be slack to pay it; for Yahweh your God will surely require it of you; and it would be sin in you.
- Lev 19:12“‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
- Eccl 5:4–6When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.
- Deut 23:23You shall observe and do that which has gone out of your lips. Whatever you have vowed to Yahweh your God as a freewill offering, which you have promised with your mouth, you must do.
- Num 30:2–16When a man vows a vow to Yahweh, or swears an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
- Ps 76:11Make vows to Yahweh your God, and fulfill them! Let all of his neighbors bring presents to him who is to be feared.
- Deut 5:11“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain: for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
- Exod 20:7“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
- Matt 23:16–22“Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’
- Ps 50:14Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High.
- Nah 1:15Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, Judah! Perform your vows, for the wicked one will no more pass through you. He is utterly cut off.
- Matt 5:27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery;’
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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 5:33 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
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