Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Parallel translations
- WEB “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
- BSB You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’
- NKJV “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
- NASB “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
- NLT “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
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 principle, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' It introduces His teaching on personal retaliation.
Overview
The 'eye for an eye' law (lex talionis) was given to limit and make just the penalties administered by courts. By Jesus' day it had been twisted into a license for personal revenge. He prepares to correct this, calling His disciples to a different way of responding to wrong.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Lev 24:19–20And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
- Deut 19:21And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
- Exod 21:22–27If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
- Deut 19:19Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
- Matt 5:27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 5:38 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.