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Complete Jewish Bible
Matthew 5:18
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For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter
For verily I say vnto you, Till heauen and earth passe, one iote or one title, shall in no wise passe from the law, till all be fulfilled.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished!
I tell you the truth, nothing will disappear from the law until heaven and earth are gone. Not even the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will be lost until everything has happened.
"For I assure you and most solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke [of the pen] will pass from the Law until all things [which it foreshadows] are accomplished.
For truely I say vnto you, Till heauen, and earth perish, one iote or one title of the Law shall not scape, till all things be fulfilled.
"For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.
For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass.
I assure you that nothing will disappear from the law until heaven and earth are gone. The law will not lose even the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter until it has all been done.
For truly I tell you, Until heaven and earth pass away, not even one yoth * or a dash shall pass away from the law until all of it is fulfilled.
Remember that as long as heaven and earth last, not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with—not until the end of all things.
For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place.
Truly I say to you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, in no way shall one iota or one point pass away from the Law until all comes to pass.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.
Truly I say to you, Till heaven and earth come to an end, not the smallest letter or part of a letter will in any way be taken from the law, till all things are done.
For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and eretz pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not one letterone iota">[fn] or one stroke of a letter will disappear from the Law until everything has been accomplished.Luke 16:17;">[xr]
For, Amen I say unto you, that until heaven and earth shall pass away, one yod, or one point [fn] shall not pass from the law, till all be done.
For verily I say to you, that until heaven and earth shall pass away, one iota or one letter shall not pass from the law, until all shall be fulfilled.
For truely I say vnto you, tyll heauen and earth passe, one iotte, or one title of the lawe shall not scape, tyll all be fulfylled.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.
For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all things be effected.
Solemnly I tell you that until Heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or smallest detail will pass away from the Law until all has taken place.
Forsothe Y seie to you, til heuene and erthe passe, o lettir or o titel shal not passe fro the lawe, til alle thingis be doon.
For truly I say to you, Until heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass away from the law, until all things be accomplished.
For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.
I tell you, as long as heaven and earth last, not one small mark or part of a word will pass away of the Law of Moses until it has all been done.
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
For, verily, I say unto you, until the heaven and the earth shall pass away, one least letter, or one point, may in nowise pass away from the law, till all be accomplished.
For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled.
For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
For truely I saye vnto you till heven and erth perisshe one iott or one tytle of the lawe shall not scape tyll all be fulfilled.
for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass.
For truly I saye vnto you: till heauen and earth perisshe, one iott or one tyttle of the lawe shall not escape, tyll all be fulfilled.
I assure you, heaven and earth may as well cease to be, as that one jot or one tittle of the law should fail of its completion.
I ain't lyin' when I say nothing will be changed in what he told you to do until everything is finished.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
verily: Matthew 5:26, Matthew 6:2, Matthew 6:16, Matthew 8:10, Matthew 10:15, Matthew 10:23, Matthew 10:42, Matthew 11:11, Matthew 13:17, Matthew 16:28, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 18:3, Matthew 18:18, Matthew 19:23, Matthew 19:28, Matthew 21:21, Matthew 21:31, Matthew 23:36, Matthew 24:2, Matthew 24:34, Matthew 24:47, Matthew 25:12, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:45, Matthew 26:13, Matthew 26:14, Mark 3:28, Mark 6:11, Mark 8:12, Mark 9:1, Mark 9:41, Mark 10:15, Mark 10:29, Mark 11:23, Mark 12:43, Mark 13:30, Mark 14:9, Mark 14:18, Mark 14:25, Mark 14:30, Luke 4:24, Luke 11:51, Luke 12:37, Luke 13:35, Luke 18:17, Luke 18:29, Luke 21:32, Luke 23:43, John 1:51, John 3:3, John 3:5, John 3:11, John 5:19, John 5:24, John 5:25, John 6:26, John 6:32, John 6:47, John 6:53, John 8:34, John 8:51, John 8:58, John 10:1, John 10:7, John 12:24, John 13:16, John 13:20, John 13:21, John 13:38, John 14:12, John 16:20, John 16:23, John 21:18
Till: Matthew 24:35, Psalms 102:26, Isaiah 51:6, Luke 16:17, Luke 21:33, Hebrews 1:11, Hebrews 1:12, 2 Peter 3:10-13, Revelation 20:11
pass: Psalms 119:89, Psalms 119:90, Psalms 119:152, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 4:2 - General Psalms 111:8 - They Psalms 119:96 - I have seen Psalms 119:144 - righteousness Psalms 119:160 - and every one Psalms 138:2 - for thou hast Isaiah 34:16 - Seek Isaiah 54:10 - the mountains Daniel 9:12 - confirmed Matthew 11:13 - General Mark 13:31 - Heaven John 10:35 - the scripture Romans 10:4 - Christ Galatians 3:24 - the law James 2:10 - whosoever
Cross-References
Kayin had sexual relations with his wife; she conceived and gave birth to Hanokh. Kayin built a city and named the city after his son Hanokh.
In all, Kenan lived 910 years; then he died.
Mahalal'el lived sixty-five years and fathered Yered.
Hanokh, Metushelach, Lemekh,
of Metushelach, of Hanokh, of Yered, of Mahalal'el, of Keinan,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For verily I say unto you,.... Or "I Amen say unto you", which is one of the names of Christ; see Revelation 3:14 or the word "Amen" is only used by Christ as an asseveration of what he was about to say; and which, for greater confirmation, is usually doubled in the Evangelist John, "Amen, Amen", or "verily, verily". The word is used by the Jews w for an oath; they swore by it; and it is a rule with them, that whoever answers "Amen" after an oath, it is all one as if he had pronounced the oath itself. The thing so strongly affirmed in this solemn manner is,
till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. The ιωτα "or jot", in the Greek language, answers to "jod" in the Hebrew, the least of all the letters in the alphabet; hence a little city is called by this name, and this reason is given for it, x שיוד קטנה באותיות, "because that jod is the least among letters". We read also of Rabbi Jod y, perhaps so called because היה קטן, he was little, as the author of Juchasin observes z. This shows in what language the law was written; not in the Samaritan language, for the jod in that is a large letter, but in the Hebrew, in which it is very small; and particularly is written in a very diminutive character, in Deuteronomy 32:18 "by one tittle" some think is meant one of those ducts, dashes, or corners of letters, which distinguish one letter from another, that are much alike; others have thought that one of the pricks or vowel points is intended; others, one of those little strokes in the tops of letters, which the Jews call a "crowns" and "spikes", is here meant, in which they imagined great mysteries were contained; and there were some persons among them, who made it their business to search into the meaning of every letter, and of everyone of these little horns, or pricks, that were upon the top of them. So says R. Meir b,
"in the time of the prophets there were such who very diligently searched every letter in the law, and explained every letter by itself; and do not wonder at this that they should expound every letter by itself, for they commented
על כל קוץ וקוץ של כל אות ואות, upon everyone of the tops of each letter.''
Such an expounder was Akiba ben Joseph c. To which custom Christ is here supposed to have respect: however, certain it is that he speaks very much in the language, and agreeably to the mind of the Jewish doctors; and some things in their writings will serve to illustrate this passage,
"If, (say they d,) all the nations of the world were gathered together, "to root one word out of the law", they could not do it; which you may learn from Solomon, who sought to root "one letter out of the law", the letter "jod", in Deuteronomy 17:16 but the holy blessed God said, Solomon shall cease, and an hundred such as he (in the Talmud e it is a thousand such as he) ממך אינה בטילה לעולם
ויוד, "but, jod shall not cease from thee (the law) for ever".''
And elsewhere the same expression is used f, and it is added,
"ljbm ynya Kmm huwqw, "but a tittle from thee shall not perish."''
The design of Christ, in conformity to the language of the Jews, is to declare, that no part of the law, not one of the least commandments in it, as he explains himself in the next verse, should be unaccomplished; but all should be fulfilled before "heaven and earth pass" away, as they will, with a great noise and fervent heat, as to their present form and condition; or sooner shall they pass away, than the least part of the law shall: which expresses the perpetuity of the law, and the impossibility of its passing away, and the superior excellency of it to the heavens and the earth. It is a saying of one of the Jewish doctors g, that
"the whole world is not equal even to one word out of the law,''
in which it is said, there is not one letter deficient or superfluous.
w T. Hieros. Kiddushin, fol. 60. 4. Misn. Bava Kama, c. 9. sect. 7, 8. T. Bab. Shebuot, fol. 36. 1. Debarim Rabba, fol. 242. 2. Maimon Hilch. Shebuot, c. 2. sect. 1. x T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 21. 2. & Gloss. in ib. y T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 22. 2. z Fol. 93. 2. a T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 29. 2. b In Semitis fidei, fol. 104. 4. & 105. 1. apud Capell. in loc. c T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 29. 2. d Vajikra Rabba, fol. 160. 3. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol 20. 2. e T. Hieros. Sanhedrim, fol. 20. 3. f Shemot Rabba, fol. 96. 1. g T. Hieros. Peah, fol. 15. 4.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Verily - Truly, certainly. A word of strong affirmation.
Till heaven and earth pass - This expression denotes that the law never would be destroyed until it should be all fulfilled. It is the same as saying everything else may change; the very earth and heaven may pass away, but the law of God shall not be destroyed until its whole design has been accomplished.
One jot - The word “jot,” or yod (י y), is the name of the Hebrew letter I, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
One tittle - The word used here, in the Greek, means literally a little horn, then a point, an extremity. Several of the Hebrew letters were written with small points or apices, as in the Hebrew letter, shin (שׁ sh), or the Hebrew letter, sin (שׂ s), which serve to distinguish one letter from another. To change a small point of one letter, therefore, might vary the meaning of a word, and destroy the sense. The name “little horn” was given to these points probably from the manner in which they were written, resembling a little horn. Professor Hackett says of a manuscript which he saw a Jew transcribing: “One peculiarity, that struck me at once as I cast my eye over the parchment, was the horn-like appearance attached to some of the letters. I had seen the same mark, before this, in Hebrew manuscripts, but never where it was so prominent as here. The sign in question, as connected with the Hebrew Letter Lamedh (ל L) in particular, had almost the appearance of an intentional imitation of a ram’s head. It was to that appendage of the Hebrew letters that the Saviour referred when he said, “‘Not one jot or little horn’ (as the Greek term signifies, which our version renders ‘tittle,’) ‘shall pass from the law until all be fulfilled.’” - Illustrations of Scripture, p. 234. Hence, the Jews were exceedingly cautious in writing these letters, and considered the smallest change or omission a reason for destroying the whole manuscript when they were transcribing the Old Testament. The expression, “one jot or tittle,” became proverbial, and means that the smallest part of the law should not be destroyed.
The laws of the Jews are commonly divided into moral, ceremonial, and judicial. The moral laws are such as grow out of the nature of things, and which cannot, therefore, be changed - such as the duty of loving God and his creatures. These cannot be abolished, as it can never be made right to hate God, or to hate our fellow-men. Of this kind are the ten commandments, and these our Saviour has neither abolished nor superseded. The ceremonial laws are such as are appointed to meet certain states of society, or to regulate the religious rites and ceremonies of a people. These can be changed when circumstances are changed, and yet the moral law be untouched. A general in an army may command his soldiers to appear sometimes in a red coat and sometimes in blue or in yellow. This would be a ceremonial law, and might be changed as he pleased. The duty of obeying him, and of being faithful to his country, could not be changed.
This is a moral law. A parent might permit his children to have 50 different dresses at different times, and love them equally in all. The dress is a mere matter of ceremony, and may be changed. The child, in all these garments, is bound to love and obey his father. This is a moral law, and cannot be changed. So the laws of the Jews. Those designed to regulate mere matters of ceremony and rites of worship might be changed. Those requiring love and obedience to God and love to people could not be changed, and Christ did not attempt it, Matthew 19:19; Matthew 22:37-39; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9. A third species of law was the judicial, or those laws regulating courts of justice which are contained in the Old Testament. These were of the nature of the ceremonial law, and might also be changed at pleasure. The judicial law of the Hebrews was adapted to their own civil society. When the form of their polity was changed this was of course no longer binding. The ceremonial law was fulfilled by the coming of Christ: the shadow was lost in the substance, and ceased to be binding. The moral law was confirmed and unchanged.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 5:18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven — In the very commencement of his ministry, Jesus Christ teaches the instability of all visible things. "The heaven which you see, and which is so glorious, and the earth which you inhabit and love, shall pass away; for the things which are seen are temporal, προσκαιρα, are for a time; but the things which are not seen are eternal αιωνια, ever-during," 2 Corinthians 4:18. And the WORD of the Lord endureth for ever.
One jot or one tittle — One yod, (י), the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. One tittle or point, κεραια, either meaning those points which serve for vowels in this language, if they then existed; or the seraphs, or points of certain letters, such as ר resh, or ד daleth, ה he, or ח cheth (as the change of any of these into the other would make a most essential alteration in the sense, or, as the rabbins say, destroy the world.) Or our Lord may refer to the little ornaments which certain letters assume on their tops, which cause them to appear like small branches. The following letters only can assume coronal apices, ץ tsaddi - ג gimel - ז zain - נ nun - ט teth - ע ayin - ש shin. These, with the coronal apices, often appear in MSS.
That this saying, one jot or one tittle, is a proverbial mode of expression among the Jews, and that it expressed the meaning given to it above, is amply proved by the extracts in Lightfoot and Schoettgen. The reader will not be displeased to find a few of them here, if he can bear with the allegorical and strongly figurative language of the rabbins.
"The book of Deuteronomy came and prostrated itself before the Lord, and said: 'O Lord of the world, thou hast written in me thy law; but now, a Testament defective in some parts is defective in all. Behold, Solomon endeavours to root the letter yod out of me.' (In this text, Deuteronomy 17:5. לא ירבה נשים lo yirbeh, nashim, he shall not multiply wives.) The holy blessed God answered, 'Solomon and a thousand such as he shall perish, but the least word shall not perish out of thee.'"
In Shir Hashirim Rabba, are these words: "Should all the inhabitants of the earth gather together, in order to whiten one feather of a crow, they could not succeed: so, if all the inhabitants of the earth should unite to abolish one י yod, which is the smallest letter in the whole law, they should not be able to effect it."
In Vayikra Rabba, s. 19, it is said: "Should any person in the words of Deuteronomy 6:4, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is אחד achad, ONE Lord, change the ד daleth into a ר resh, he would ruin the world." [Because, in that case, the word אחר achar, would signify a strange or false God.]
"Should any one, in the words of Exodus 34:14, Thou shalt worship no OTHER, אחר achar, God, change ר resh into ד daleth, he would ruin the world." [Because the command would then run, Thou shalt not worship the ONLY or true God.]
"Should any one in the words of Leviticus 22:32, Neither shall ye PROFANE תחללו techelelu, my holy name, change ח cheth into ה he, he would ruin the world." [Because the sense of the commandment would then be, Neither shall ye PRAISE my holy name.]
"Should any one, in the words of Psalms 150:6, Let every thing that hath breath PRAISE, תהלל tehalel, the Lord, change ה he into ח cheth, he would ruin the world." [Because the command would then run, Let every thing that hath breath PROFANE the Lord.]
"Should any one, in the words of Jeremiah 5:10, They lied AGAINST the Lord, ביהוה beihovah, change ב beth into כ caph, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would run, They lied LIKE the Lord.]
"Should any one, in the words of Hosea, Hosea 5:7, They have dealt treacherously, ביהוה beihovah, AGAINST the Lord, change ב beth into כ caph, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would run, They have dealt treacherously LIKE the Lord.]
"Should any one, in the words of 1 Samuel 2:2, There is none holy AS the Lord, change כ caph into ב beth, he would ruin the world." [For then the words would mean, There is no holiness IN the Lord.]
These examples fully prove that the μιακεραια of our Lord, refers to the apices, points, or corners, that distinguish ב beth from כ caph; ח cheth from ה he; and ר resh from ד daleth. For the reader will at once perceive, how easily a כ caph may be turned into a ב beth; a ה he into a ח cheth; and a ר resh into a ד daleth: and he will also see of what infinite consequence it is to write and print such letters correctly.
Till all be fulfilled. — Or, accomplished. Though all earth and hell should join together to hinder the accomplishment of the great designs of the Most High, yet it shall all be in vain - even the sense of a single letter shall not be lost. The words of God, which point out his designs, are as unchangeable as his nature itself. Every sinner, who perseveres in his iniquity, shall surely be punished with separation from God and the glory of his power; and every soul that turns to God, through Christ, shall as surely be saved, as that Jesus himself hath died.
