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Wednesday, October 30th, 2024
the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Read the Bible

King James Version

Matthew 5:34

But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Commandments;   Heaven;   Instruction;   Judaism;   Law;   Oath;   Religion;   Throne;   Thompson Chain Reference - Blasphemy-Profanity;   God's;   Government;   Oaths;   Profanity;   Sovereignty of God;   Swearing;   Throne, God's;   The Topic Concordance - Earth;   Heaven/the Heavens;   Jerusalem;   Speech/communication;   Swearing/vowing;   Throne;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Oaths;   Swearing, Profane;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Oath;   Throne;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jesus christ;   Oath;   Sermon on the mount;   Throne;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Christ, Christology;   Law of Christ;   Legalism;   Sin;   World;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hutchinsonians;   Lord's Name Taken in Vain;   Love, Brotherly;   Means of Grace;   Oath;   Quakers;   Reconciliation;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Oath;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James, the General Epistle of;   Oath;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Custodian;   Disciples;   Jesus, Life and Ministry of;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Oaths;   Persecution in the Bible;   Sermon on the Mount;   Torah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Christianity;   Joy;   Law;   Melchizedek;   Mss;   Perfection;   Sin;   Throne;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Amen;   Angels (2);   Authority of Christ;   Christianity;   Commandments;   Consciousness;   God (2);   Gospel (2);   Head ;   Heaven ;   Humanity of Christ;   Ideas (Leading);   Inspiration and Revelation;   Isaiah;   Israel, Israelite;   James ;   Law;   Law of God;   Learning;   Lord's Supper. (I.);   Manliness;   Matthew, Gospel According to;   Oath;   Oaths;   Omnipresence;   Perfection (Human);   Poet;   Power;   Profaning, Profanity;   Quotations (2);   Science (2);   Socialism;   Throne (2);   Tongue ;   Word (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Heaven;   Law of Moses;   Oath;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Authority in Religion;   Cruel;   James, Epistle of;   Oath;   Omnipresence;   Sermon on the Mount, the;   Ten Commandments, the;   Throne;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - James, General Epistle of;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But I tell you, when you make a promise, don't try to make it stronger with a vow. Don't make a vow using the name of heaven, because heaven is God's throne.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But I saye vnto you swere not at all nether by heue for it ys Goddes seate:
International Standard Version
But I tell you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, because it is God's throne,Isaiah 66:1; Matthew 23:16,18, 22; James 5:12;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
"But I say to you, take no oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
New Century Version
But I tell you, never swear an oath. Don't swear an oath using the name of heaven, because heaven is God's throne.
Update Bible Version
but I say to you, don't swear at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;
Webster's Bible Translation
But I say to you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Amplified Bible
"But I say to you, do not make an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
English Standard Version
But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
World English Bible
but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne.
Weymouth's New Testament
But I tell you not to swear at all; neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Y seie to you, that ye swere not `for ony thing; nethir bi heuene, for it is the trone of God;
English Revised Version
but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;
Berean Standard Bible
But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
Contemporary English Version
But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise! Heaven is God's throne, so don't swear by heaven.
American Standard Version
but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;
Bible in Basic English
But I say to you, Take no oaths at all: not by the heaven, because it is the seat of God;
Complete Jewish Bible
But I tell you not to swear at all — not ‘by heaven ,' because it is God's throne ;
Darby Translation
But *I* say unto you, Do not swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is [the] throne of God;
Etheridge Translation
But I say unto you, Swear not at all: not by heaven, for it is the throne of Aloha;
Murdock Translation
But I say to you, Swear not at all: not by heaven, for it is the throne of God:
King James Version (1611)
But I say vnto you, Sweare not at all, neither by heauen, for it is Gods throne:
New Living Translation
But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!' because heaven is God's throne.
New Life Bible
I tell you, do not use strong words when you make a promise. Do not promise by heaven. It is the place where God is.
New Revised Standard
But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
Geneva Bible (1587)
But I say vnto you, Sweare not at all, neither by heauen, for it is the throne of God:
George Lamsa Translation
But I say to you, never swear; neither by heaven, because it is God''s throne;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, I, tell you - not to swear, at all: Neither by heaven, because it is the, throne of God, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven for it is the throne of God:
Revised Standard Version
But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But, I say vnto you: Sweare not at all, neither by heauen, for it is gods seate,
Good News Translation
But now I tell you: do not use any vow when you make a promise. Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne;
Christian Standard Bible®
But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne;
Hebrew Names Version
but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;
Lexham English Bible
But I say to you, do not swear at all, either by heaven, because it is the throne of God,
Literal Translation
But I say to you, Do not swear at all, neither by Heaven, because it is God's throne; Isa. 66:1
Young's Literal Translation
but I -- I say to you, not to swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is the throne of God,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But I saye vnto you: sweare not at all, nether by heaue, for it is Godis seate:
Mace New Testament (1729)
but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne:
New English Translation
But I say to you, do not take oaths at all—not by heaven, because it is the throne of God,
New King James Version
But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;
Simplified Cowboy Version
But I'm tellin' you straight, don't swear at all; either by heaven, for it's the Boss's pasture,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
Legacy Standard Bible
But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

Contextual Overview

33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Swear: Deuteronomy 23:21-23, Ecclesiastes 9:2, James 5:12

heaven: Matthew 23:16-22, Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 66:1

Reciprocal: Leviticus 19:12 - ye shall Numbers 30:2 - swear Deuteronomy 5:11 - General Psalms 11:4 - the Lord's Ezekiel 43:7 - and the place Daniel 4:26 - the heavens Matthew 5:22 - I say Matthew 23:22 - by the Matthew 26:72 - with Mark 6:23 - he Acts 7:49 - Heaven Acts 17:24 - seeing

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But I say unto you, swear not at all,.... Which must not be understood in the strictest sense, as though it was not lawful to take an oath upon any occasion, in an affair of moment, in a solemn serious manner, and in the name of God; which may be safely done: but of rash swearing, about trivial matters, and by the creatures; as appears by what follows,

neither by heaven; which is directly contrary to the Jewish canons m, which say,

"they that swear בשמים, "by heaven", and by earth, are free.''

Upon the words in Song of Solomon 2:7, "I adjure you", c. it is asked n,

"by what does she adjure them? R. Eliezer says, by the heavens, and by the earth by the hosts, the host above, and the host below.''

So Philo the Jew says o that the most high and ancient cause need not to be immediately mentioned in swearing; but the "earth", the sun, the stars, ουρανον, "heaven", and the whole world. So R. Aben Ezra, and R. David Kimchi, explain Amos 4:2. "The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness"; that is, say they, בשמים, "by heaven": which may be thought to justify them, in this form of swearing; though they did not look upon it as a binding oath, and therefore if broken they were not criminal p.

"He that swears בשמים by heaven, and by the earth, and by the sun, and the like; though his intention is nothing less than to him that created them, this is no oath.''

The reason why it is forbidden by Christ to swear by heaven, is,

for it is God's throne; referring to Isaiah 66:1 where he sits, the glory of his majesty shines forth, and is itself glorious and excellent, and not to be mentioned in a vain way; and especially, for the reason Christ elsewhere gives, Matthew 23:22 that "he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon"; so that they doubly sinned, first, by openly swearing by that which is God's creature; and then, by tacitly bringing God into their rash and vain oaths.

m Misn. Shebuot, c. 4. sect. 13. n Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 10. 4. o De Special. leg. p 770. p Maimon. Hilch. Shebuot, c. 12. sect. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But I say unto you, Swear not at all - That is, in the manner which he proceeds to specify. Swear not in any of the common and profane ways customary at that time.

By heaven; for it is God’s throne - To swear by that was, if it meant anything, to swear by Him that sitteth thereon, Matthew 23:22.

Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool - Swearing by that, therefore, is really swearing by God. Or perhaps it means:

1.That we have no right to pledge, or swear by, what belongs to God; and,

2.That oaths by inanimate objects are unmeaningful and wicked.

If they are real oaths, they are by a living Being, who has power to take vengeance. A footstool is that on which the feet rest when sitting. The term is applied to the earth to denote how lowly and humble an object it is when compared with God.

Jerusalem - See the notes at Matthew 2:1.

City of the Great King - That is, of God; called the Great King because he was the King of the Israelites, and Jerusalem was the capital of the nation, and the place where he was especially honored as king. Compare Psalms 46:4; Psalms 48:1-2; Psalms 87:3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 34. - 35. Neither by heaven, c.] It was a custom among the Scythians, when they wished to bind themselves in the most solemn manner, to swear by the king's throne and if the king was at any time sick, they believed it was occasioned by some one's having taken the oath falsely. Herod. l. iv.

Who is there among the traders and people of this world who obey this law? A common swearer is constantly perjuring himself: such a person should never be trusted. When we make any promise contrary to the command of God, taking, as a pledge of our sincerity, either GOD, or something belonging to him, we engage that which is not ours, without the Master's consent. God manifests his glory in heaven, as upon his throne; he imprints the footsteps of his perfections upon the earth, his footstool; and shows that his holiness and his grace reign in his temple as the place of his residence. Let it be our constant care to seek and honour God in all his works.


 
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