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Complete Jewish Bible
Matthew 5:21
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“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder,
Yee haue heard, that it was saide by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and, Whosoeuer shall kill, shalbe in danger of the iudgement.
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'
"You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MURDER,' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to the court.'
"You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘You must not murder anyone. Anyone who murders another will be judged.'
"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'YOU SHALL NOT MURDER,' and 'Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.'
Ye haue heard that it was sayd vnto them of the olde time, Thou shalt not kill: for whosoeuer killeth shalbe culpable of iudgement.
"You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.'
"You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder' and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.'
You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'
You know that our ancestors were told, "Do not murder" and "A murderer must be brought to trial."
Ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not kill; but whosoever shall kill shall be subject to the judgment.
"You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘You must not murder anyone. Any person who commits murder will be judged.'
You have heard that it was said to those who were before you, You shall not kill, and whoever kills is guilty before the court.
"You have heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.'
"You have heard that it was said to the people of old, ‘Do not commit murder,' and ‘whoever commits murder will be subject to judgment.'
You have heard that it was said to the ancients: "Do not commit murder!" And, Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the Judgment. Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17
Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
You have knowledge that it was said in old times, You may not put to death; and, Whoever puts to death will be in danger of being judged:
"You have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.'
"You have heard that it was said to those who lived long ago, 'You must not murder,'Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17">[fn] and 'Whoever murders will be subject to punishment.'Exodus 21:12; Leviticus 24:17">[fn]Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17;">[xr]
YOU have heard that it was said unto them who were before, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill is obnoxious to the judgment.
Ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not kill: and every one that killeth, is obnoxious to judgment.
Ye haue hearde, that it was sayde to them of the olde tyme, thou shalt not kyll: who so euer kylleth, shalbe in daunger of iudgement.
Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
"You have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not murder;' and 'Whoever shall murder shall be in danger of the judgment.'
Ye have heard, that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt do no murder, and whosoever doth murder, shall be liable to the judgment.
"You have heard that it was said to the ancients, `Thou shalt not commit murder', and whoever commits murder will be answerable to the magistrate.
Ye han herd that it was seid to elde men, Thou schalt not slee; and he that sleeth, schal be gilti to doom.
You have heard that it was said to them of old time, You shall not kill; and whoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment:
"You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘ Do not murder ,' and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.'
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17 ">[fn] and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'
"You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.'
"You have heard that men were told long ago, ‘You must not kill another person. If someone does kill, he will be guilty and will be punished for his wrong-doing.'
"You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder'; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.'
Ye have heard, that it was said, to them of olden time, - Thou shalt not commit murder, and, whosoever shall commit murder, shall be, liable, to judgment.
You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment.
"You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.'
Ye have herde howe it was sayd vnto the of ye olde tyme: Thou shalt not kyll. For whoso ever kylleth shall be in daunger of iudgemet.
`Ye heard that it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill, and whoever may kill shall be in danger of the judgment;
Ye haue herde, how it was sayde to the of the olde tyme: Thou shalt not kyll. For whosoeuer kylleth, shall be in daunger of iudgement.
Ye have heard that it has been said to the antients, "Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill, shall be punish'd by the tribunal."
"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.
"You heard that the Boss said long ago, 'Don't kill anyone and if you do, you run the risk of bein' found guilty.'
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
it: Matthew 5:27, Matthew 5:33, Matthew 5:43, 2 Samuel 20:18, Job 8:8-10
by them: or, to them
Thou: Genesis 9:5, Genesis 9:6, Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17
and: Exodus 21:12-14, Numbers 35:12, Numbers 35:16-21, Numbers 35:30-34, Deuteronomy 21:7-9, 1 Kings 2:5, 1 Kings 2:6, 1 Kings 2:31, 1 Kings 2:32
Reciprocal: Nehemiah 8:8 - and gave the sense Malachi 2:9 - but Matthew 5:22 - be Matthew 19:18 - Thou shalt do Romans 7:9 - without James 2:11 - Do not commit 1 John 3:15 - hateth
Cross-References
of Metushelach, of Hanokh, of Yered, of Mahalal'el, of Keinan,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Ye have heard,.... That is, from the Scriptures being read to them, and the explanations of the ancients, which were called
ש×עת×, "hearing", being read in the schools, and heard by the scholars o; so that to "hear", was along with the recital of the text, to receive by tradition, the sense the elders had given of it: of this kind is the instance produced by Christ. Thus Onkelos, and Jonathan ben Uzziel, render the phrase, "him shall ye hear", in
Deuteronomy 18:15 by ×× ×× ×ª×§××××, "from him shall ye receive"; so those phrases p, ×××× ××¤× ×ש×××¢×, "they learn from hearing", or by report from others; and ×××¨× ××¤× ×ש×××¢× "they speak from hearing", or from what they have heard, are often used for receiving and reporting things as they have them by tradition. That "it was said", or "it hath been said"; this is also a Talmudic form of expression; often is this phrase to be met with in the Talmud, ××ת××ר, "it has been said" q; that is, by the ancient doctors, as here, "by them of old time", or "to the ancients", ×ק×××× ×× so in Munster's Hebrew Gospel; not to the Israelites in the time of Moses, but to the ancestors of the Jews, since the times of Ezra; by the elders, who were contemporary with them; and who by their false glosses corrupted the law, when they recited any part of it to the people; or "by the ancients", the ancient doctors and commentators, which preceded the times of Christ, whom the Jews often call ק×××× ×× ×, "our ancients" r. Now, upon that law, "thou shalt not kill", they put this gloss, or added this by way of interpretation,
and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment; which they understood only of actual murder, either committed in their own persons, or by the means of others. Their rules for the judgment of such persons were these;
"everyone that kills his neighbour with his hand; as if he strikes him with a sword, or with a stone that kills him; or strangles him till he die; or burns him in fire; seeing he kills him in any manner, in his own person, lo! such an one must be put to death ×××ת ×××, "by the house of judgment", or the sanhedrim s.''
Not that which consisted of three persons only, but either that which consisted of twenty three, or the supreme one, which was made up of seventy one; which two last had only power of judging capital offences. Again,
"if a man hires a murderer to kill his neighbour, or sends his servants, and they kill him, or binds him, and leaves him before a lion, or the like, and the beast kills him, everyone of these is a shedder of blood; and the sin of slaughter is in his hand; and he is guilty of death by the hand of heaven, i.e. God; but he is not to be put to death by the house of judgment, or the sanhedrim t.''
A little after, it is said, "their judgment" is delivered to heaven, i.e. to God; and this seems to be the sense of the word "judgment" here, namely, the judgment of God, or death by the hand of God; since it is manifestly distinguished from the council, or sanhedrim, in the next "verse". The phrase,
in danger of judgment, is the same with u ×××× ×××, "guilty of judgment", or deserves condemnation.
o Vid. Buxtorf. Lex. Rabbin, fol. 2453. p Maimon. Hilch. Issure Mizbeach, c. 1. sect. 2, 4, 5, 7, 10. & passim, & T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 88. 1. q Vid. Edzardi Not. in Avoda Zara, c. 2. p. 284. r Vid. R. Aben Ezra in Exod. xxi. 17. & in Isa. lii. 13. & lxvi. 24. s Maimon. Hilch. Rotseach, c. 2. sect. 1. t Maimon. Hilch. Rotseach, c. 2. sect. 2. u In Targ. in 2 Chron. xix. 10.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Ye have heard - Or, this is the common interpretation among the Jews. Jesus proceeds here to comment on some prevailing opinions among the Jews; to show that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was defective; and that people needed a better righteousness, or they could not be saved. He illustrates what he meant by that better righteousness by showing that the common opinions of the scribes were erroneous.
By them of old time - This might be translated to the ancients, referring to Moses and the prophets. But it is more probable that Jesus here refers to the interpreters of the law and the prophets. He did not set himself against the law of Moses, but against the false and pernicious interpretations of the law prevalent in his time.
Thou shalt not kill - See Exodus 20:13. This properly denotes taking the life of another with malice, or with an intention to murder him. The Jews understood it as meaning no more. The comment of our Saviour shows that it was spiritual, and was designed to extend to the thoughts and feelings as well as the external act.
Shall be in danger of - Shall be held guilty, and be punished by. The law of Moses declared that the murderer should be put to death, Leviticus 24:21; Numbers 35:16. It did not say, however, by whom this should be done, and it was left to the Jews to organize courts to have cognizance of such crimes, Deuteronomy 16:18.
The judgment - This was the tribunal that had cognizance of cases of murder, etc. It was a court that sat in each city or town, and consisted commonly of seven members. It was the lowest court among the Jews, and from it an appeal might be taken to the Sanhedrin.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 5:21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time — ÏÎ¿Î¹Ï Î±ÏÏαιοιÏ, to or by the ancients. By the ancients, we may understand those who lived before the law, and those who lived under it; for murder was, in the most solemn manner, forbidden before, as well as under, the law, Genesis 9:5-6.
But it is very likely that our Lord refers here merely to traditions and glosses relative to the ancient Mosaic ordinance; and such as, by their operation, rendered the primitive command of little or no effect. Murder from the beginning has been punished with death; and it is, probably, the only crime that should be punished with death. There is much reason to doubt, whether the punishment of death, inflicted for any other crime, is not in itself murder, whatever the authority may be that has instituted it. GOD, and the greatest legislators that have ever been in the universe, are of the same opinion. See Montesquieu, Blackstone, and the Marquis Beccaria, and the arguments and testimonies lately produced by Sir Samuel Romilly, in his motion for the amendment of the criminal laws of this kingdom. It is very remarkable, that the criminal code published by Joseph II., late emperor of Germany, though it consists of seventy-one capital crimes, has not death attached to any of them. Even murder, with all intention to rob, is punished only with "imprisonment for thirty years, to lie on the floor, to have no nourishment but bread and water, to be closely chained, and to be publicly whipped once a year, with less than one hundred lashes." See Colquhoun on the Police of the City of London, p. 272.
