KJV: For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
YLT: 'For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens.
Darby: For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of the heavens.
ASV: For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
| λέγω | I say |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: λέγω Sense: to say, to speak. |
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| ὑμῖν | to you |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural Root: σύ Sense: you. |
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| ὅτι | that |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| περισσεύσῃ | shall abound |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: περισσεύω Sense: to exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure. |
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| ὑμῶν | your |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural Root: σύ Sense: you. |
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| ἡ | - |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| δικαιοσύνη | righteousness |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular Root: δικαιοσύνη Sense: in a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God. |
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| πλεῖον | above [that] |
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Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular, Comparative Root: πολύς Sense: greater in quantity. |
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| τῶν | of the |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| γραμματέων | scribes |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: γραμματεύς Sense: a clerk, scribe, esp. |
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| Φαρισαίων | Pharisees |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: Φαρισαῖος Sense: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. |
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| οὐ | no |
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Parse: Adverb Root: οὐ Sense: no, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. |
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| εἰσέλθητε | shall you enter |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Plural Root: εἰσέρχομαι Sense: to go out or come in: to enter. |
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| εἰς | into |
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Parse: Preposition Root: εἰς Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among. |
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| βασιλείαν | kingdom |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: βασιλεία Sense: royal power, kingship, dominion, rule. |
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| οὐρανῶν | heavens |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: οὐρανός Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it. |
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Greek Commentary for Matthew 5:20
Overflow like a river out of its banks and then Jesus adds “more” followed by an unexpressed ablative (της δικαιοσυνης tēs dikaiosunēs), brachylogy. A daring statement on Christ‘s part that they had to be better than the rabbis. They must excel the scribes, the small number of regular teachers (5:21-48), and the Pharisees in the Pharisaic life (6:1-18) who were the separated ones, the orthodox pietists. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 5:20
Luke sometimes has ην διδασκων autos in the nominative as unemphatic “he” as here, not “he himself.”Was teaching (ησαν κατημενοι ēn didaskōn). Periphrastic imperfect again like our English idiom.Were sitting by Periphrastic imperfect again. There is no “by” in the Greek.Doctors of the law (ιεροδιδασκαλος nomodidaskaloi). A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come).Out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem Edersheim (Jewish Social Life) observes that the Jews distinguished Jerusalem as a separate district in Judea. Plummer considers it hyperbole in Luke to use “every village.” But one must recall that Jesus had already made one tour of Galilee which stirred the Pharisees and rabbis to active opposition. Judea had already been aroused and Jerusalem was the headquarters of the definite campaign now organized against Jesus. One must bear in mind that John 4:1-4 shows that Jesus had already left Jerusalem and Judea because of the jealousy of the Pharisees. They are here on purpose to find fault and to make charges against Jesus. One must not forget that there were many kinds of Pharisees and that not all of them were as bad as these legalistic and punctilious hypocrites who deserved the indictment and exposure of Christ in Matthew 23. Paul himself is a specimen of the finer type of Pharisee which, however, developed into the persecuting fanatic till Jesus changed his whole life.The power of the Lord was with him to heal (Κυριου dunamis Kuriou ēn eis to iāsthai auton). So the best texts. It is neat Greek, but awkward English: “Then was the power of the Lord for the healing as to him (Jesus).” Here δυναμεις Kuriou refers to Jehovah.Dunamis (dynamite) is one of the common words for “miracles” What Luke means is that Jesus had the power of the Lord God to heal with. He does not mean that this power was intermittent. He simply calls attention to its presence with Jesus on this occasion. [source]
A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come). [source]
Periphrastic imperfect again. There is no “by” in the Greek.Doctors of the law (ιεροδιδασκαλος nomodidaskaloi). A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come).Out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem Edersheim (Jewish Social Life) observes that the Jews distinguished Jerusalem as a separate district in Judea. Plummer considers it hyperbole in Luke to use “every village.” But one must recall that Jesus had already made one tour of Galilee which stirred the Pharisees and rabbis to active opposition. Judea had already been aroused and Jerusalem was the headquarters of the definite campaign now organized against Jesus. One must bear in mind that John 4:1-4 shows that Jesus had already left Jerusalem and Judea because of the jealousy of the Pharisees. They are here on purpose to find fault and to make charges against Jesus. One must not forget that there were many kinds of Pharisees and that not all of them were as bad as these legalistic and punctilious hypocrites who deserved the indictment and exposure of Christ in Matthew 23. Paul himself is a specimen of the finer type of Pharisee which, however, developed into the persecuting fanatic till Jesus changed his whole life.The power of the Lord was with him to heal (Κυριου dunamis Kuriou ēn eis to iāsthai auton). So the best texts. It is neat Greek, but awkward English: “Then was the power of the Lord for the healing as to him (Jesus).” Here δυναμεις Kuriou refers to Jehovah.Dunamis (dynamite) is one of the common words for “miracles” What Luke means is that Jesus had the power of the Lord God to heal with. He does not mean that this power was intermittent. He simply calls attention to its presence with Jesus on this occasion. [source]
Subjective genitive, “a God kind of righteousness,” one that each must have and can obtain in no other way save “from faith unto faith” Is revealed (αποκαλυπτεται apokaluptetai). It is a revelation from God, this God kind of righteousness, that man unaided could never have conceived or still less attained. In these words we have Paul‘s statement in his own way of the theme of the Epistle, the content of the gospel as Paul understands it. Every word is important: σωτηριαν sōtērian (salvation), ευαγγελιον euaggelion (gospel), αποκαλυπτεται apokaluptetai (is revealed), δικαιοσυνη τεου dikaiosunē theou (righteousness of God), πιστις pistis (faith) and πιστευοντι pisteuonti (believing). He grounds his position on Habakkuk 2:4 (quoted also in Galatians 3:11). By “righteousness” we shall see that Paul means both “justification” and “sanctification.” It is important to get a clear idea of Paul‘s use of δικαιοσυνη dikaiosunē here for it controls the thought throughout the Epistle. Jesus set up a higher standard of righteousness (δικαιοσυνη dikaiosunē) in the Sermon on the Mount than the Scribes and Pharisees taught and practised (Matthew 5:20) and proves it in various items. Here Paul claims that in the gospel, taught by Jesus and by himself there is revealed a God kind of righteousness with two ideas in it (the righteousness that God has and that he bestows). It is an old word for quality from δικαιος dikaios a righteous man, and that from δικη dikē right or justice (called a goddess in Acts 28:4), and that allied with δεικνυμι deiknumi to show, to point out. Other allied words are δικαιοω dikaioō to declare or make δικαιος dikaios (Romans 3:24, Romans 3:26), δικαιωμα dikaiōma that which is deemed δικαιος dikaios (sentence or ordinance as in Romans 1:32; Romans 2:26; Romans 8:4), δικαιωσις dikaiōsis the act of declaring δικαιος dikaios (only twice in N.T., Romans 4:25; Romans 5:18). Δικαιοσυνη Dikaiosunē and δικαιοω dikaioō are easy to render into English, though we use justice in distinction from righteousness and sanctification for the result that comes after justification (the setting one right with God). Paul is consistent and usually clear in his use of these great words. [source]
Condensed comparison, wiser than the wisdom of men. Common Greek idiom (Matthew 5:20; John 5:36) and quite forcible, brushes all men aside. The weakness of God (το αστενες του τεου to asthenes tou theou). Same idiom here, the weak act of God, as men think, is stronger (ισχυροτερον ischuroteron). The Cross seemed God‘s defeat. It is conquering the world and is the mightiest force on earth. [source]
First-class condition again with ει ei and present passive indicative of σωζω sōzō Quotation from Proverbs 11:31. See 1 Peter 3:12, 1 Peter 3:14; Matthew 5:20. But the Christian is not saved by his own righteousness (Philemon 3:9; Revelation 7:14). For μολις molis see Acts 14:18 and for ασεβης asebēs (ungodly, without reverence) see Romans 4:5; 2 Peter 2:5. [source]
Aleph A wrongly have ομοιοις homoiois (agreeing with σκορπιοις skorpiois instead of with ουρας ouras). It is a condensed idiom for “like unto the tails of the scorpions” as we have it in Revelation 13:11 (cf. Matthew 5:20; 1 John 2:2).Stings (κεντρα kentra). Old word from κεντρεω kentreō (to prick, to sting), in N.T. only here, Acts 26:14 (about Paul); 1 Corinthians 15:55 (about death). It is used “of the spur of a cock, the quill of the porcupine, and the stings of insects” (Vincent). It was the goad used for oxen (Proverbs 26:3; Acts 26:14).In their tails This locates “their power to hurt” (η εχουσια αυτων αδικησαι hē exousia autōn adikēsai infinitive here, ινα αδικησουσιν hina adikēsousin in Revelation 9:4) in their tails. It might have been in other organs. [source]