nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Parallel translations
- WEB nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
- KJV Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
- BSB or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
- NASB nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
- NLT 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.
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
Nor swear by earth or Jerusalem, for these too belong to God. It continues exposing the emptiness of evasive oaths.
Overview
Jesus shows that every such oath ultimately involves God, since earth is His footstool and Jerusalem the city of the great King. There is no neutral ground for swearing that escapes God's presence. The teaching presses disciples toward simple, God-honoring honesty in all speech.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 48:2Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King.
- Rev 21:10He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
- 2 Chr 6:6but now I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’
- Mal 1:14“But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”
- Ps 99:5Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy!
- Rev 21:2I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
- Ps 87:2Yahweh loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 5:35 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.