the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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King James Version
Matthew 5:41
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If a soldier forces you to walk with him one mile, go with him two.
And whosoever wyll copell the to goo a myle goo wyth him twayne.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go two with him.Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21;">[xr]
"Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles.
And whoever shall compel you to go one mile, go with him two.
And whoever shall constrain thee [to go] one mile, go with him two.
"And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go with him one mile, go with him twain.
And whoever shall compel you to convey his goods one mile, go with him two.
and who euer constreyneth thee a thousynde pacis, go thou with hym othir tweyne.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him twain.
and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.
And whoever makes you go one mile, go with him two.
And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two!
And whoever will compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.
and if a man compel thee one mile, go with him twain.
Whoever compelleth thee to go one mile, go with him two.
And whosoeuer shall compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twaine.
If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.
Whoever makes you walk a short way, go with him twice as far.
and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.
And whosoeuer will compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twaine.
Whoever compels you to carry a burden for a mile, go with him two.
And, whoever shall impress thee one mile, go with him two:
And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two.
and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
And whosoeuer wyll compell thee to go a myle, go with hym twayne.
And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
And whoever shall compel you to go one mile, go two with him.
`And whoever shall impress thee one mile, go with him two,
And who so compelleth the to go a myle, go wt hym twayne.
and if any one will press you to go a mile with him, go with him the other two.
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
If someone makes you walk a mile behind their horse, go even further than that.
"Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
And whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
compel: Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26
Reciprocal: Luke 6:29 - and him
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile,.... The word αγγαρευσει, rendered "compel", is generally said to be of Persic original; the "Angari", among the Persians, were the king's messengers, or those who rode post, and were maintained at the king's expenses; and had power to take horses, and other carriages, and even men, into their service, by force, when they had occasion for them: hence the word is used to force, or compel persons to do this or the other thing; the word אנגריא is often to be met with in the Jewish writings, and is in them expounded to be k, the taking of anything for the service of the king. David de Pomis renders it by עול, "a yoke" l; meaning, any servile work, which such, who were pressed into the king's service, were obliged unto. And m
עשה אנגריא is used to compel persons to go along with others, to do any service; in which sense it is here used: and Christ advises, rather than to contend and quarrel with such a person, that obliges to go with him a mile, to
go with him twain: his meaning is, not to dispute such a matter, though it may be somewhat laborious and disagreeable, but comply, for the sake of peace. The Jews n, in their blasphemous book of the birth of Christ, own that he gave advice in such words as these, when they introduce Peter thus speaking of him.
"He, that is, Jesus, hath warned and commanded you to do no more evil to a Jew; but if a Jew should say to a Nazarene, go with me one mile, he shall go with him two miles; and if a Jew shall smite him on the left cheek, he shall turn to him also the right.''
Can a Jew find fault with this advice?
k Vid. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 6. sect. 3. l Tzemach David, fol. 8. 4. m Vid. Buxtorf. Lex. Rabb. p. 131, 132. n Toldos Jesu, p 22.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
An eye for an eye ... - This command is found in Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. In these places it was given as a rule to regulate the decisions of judges. They were to take eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, and to inflict burning for burning. As a judicial rule it is not unjust. Christ finds no fault with the rule as applied to magistrates, and does not take upon himself to repeal it. But instead of confining it to magistrates, the Jews had extended it to private conduct, and made it the rule by which to take revenge. They considered themselves justified by this rule to inflict the same injury on others that they had received. Our Saviour remonstrates against this. He declares that the law had no reference to private revenge, that it was given only to regulate the magistrate, and that their private conduct was to be governed by different principles.
The general principle which he laid down was, that we are not to resist evil; that is, as it is in the Greek, nor to set ourselves against an evil person who is injuring us. But even this general direction is not to be pressed too strictly. Christ did not intend to teach that we are to see our families murdered, or be murdered ourselves; rather than to make resistance. The law of nature, and all laws, human and divine, justify self-defense when life is in danger. It cannot surely be the intention to teach that a father should sit by coolly and see his family butchered by savages, and not be allowed to defend them. Neither natural nor revealed religion ever did, or ever can, inculcate this doctrine. Our Saviour immediately explains what he means by it. Had he intended to refer it to a case where life is in danger, he would most surely have mentioned it. Such a case was far more worthy of statement than those which he did mention.
A doctrine so unusual, so unlike all that the world had believed. and that the best people had acted on, deserved to be formally stated. Instead of doing this, however, he confines himself to smaller matters, to things of comparatively trivial interest, and says that in these we had better take wrong than to enter into strife and lawsuits. The first case is where we are smitten on the cheek. Rather than contend and fight, we should take it patiently, and turn the other cheek. This does not, however, prevent our remonstrating firmly yet mildly on the injustice of the thing, and insisting that justice should be done us, as is evident from the example of the Saviour himself. See John 18:23. The second evil mentioned is where a man is litigious and determined to take all the advantage the law can give him, following us with vexatious and expensive lawsuits. Our Saviour directs us, rather than to imitate him rather than to contend with a revengeful spirit in courts of justice to take a trifling injury, and yield to him. This is merely a question about property, and not about conscience and life.
Coat - The Jews wore two principal garments, an interior and an exterior. The interior, here called the “coat,” or the tunic, was made commonly of linen, and encircled the whole body, extending down to the knees. Sometimes beneath this garment, as in the case of the priests, there was another garment corresponding to pantaloons. The coat, or tunic, was extended to the neck. and had long or short sleeves. Over this was commonly worn an upper garment, here called “cloak,” or mantle. It was made commonly nearly square, of different sizes, 5 or 6 cubits long and as many broad, and was wrapped around the body, and was thrown off when labor was performed. If, said Christ, an adversary wished to obtain, at law, one of these garments, rather than contend with him let him have the other also. A reference to various articles of apparel occurs frequently in the New Testament, and it is desirable to have a correct view of the ancient mode of dress. in order to a proper understanding of the Bible. The Asiatic modes of dress are nearly the same from age to age, and hence it is not difficult to illustrate the passages where such a reference occurs. The ordinary dress consisted of the inner garment, the outer garment, the girdle (belt), and the sandals. In regard to the sandals, see the notes at Matthew 3:11.
In the girdle (belt) was the place of the pouch Matthew 10:9, and to it the sword and dirk were commonly attached. Compare 2 Samuel 20:8. In modern times the pistols are also fastened to the belt. It is the usual place for the handkerchief, smoking materials, inkhorn, and, in general, the implements of one’s profession. The belt served to confine the loose-flowing robe or outer garment to the body. It held the garment when it was tucked up, as it was usually in walking or in labor. Hence, “to gird up the loins” became a significant figurative expression, denoting readiness for service, activity, labor, and watchfulness; and “to loosen the loins” denoted the giving way to repose and indolence, 2 Kings 4:29; Job 38:3; Isaiah 5:27; Luke 12:35; John 21:7.
Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile - The word translated “shall compel” is of Persian origin. Post-offices were then unknown. In order that the royal commands might be delivered with safety and despatch in different parts of the empire, Cyrus stationed horsemen at proper intervals on all the great public highways. One of those delivered the message to another, and intelligence was thus rapidly and safely communicated. These heralds were permitted to compel any person, or to press any horse, boat, ship, or other vehicle that they might need for the quick transmission of the king’s commandments. It was to this custom that our Saviour refers. Rather, says he, than resist a public authority requiring your attendance and aid for a certain distance, go peaceably twice the distance.
A mile - A Roman mile was 1,000 paces.
Twain - Two.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 41. Shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. — αγγαρευσει. This word is said to be derived from the Persians, among whom the king's messengers, or posts, were called αγγαποι, or angari. This definition is given both by Hesychius and Suidas.
The Persian messengers had the royal authority for pressing horses, ships, and even men, to assist them in the business on which they were employed. These angari are now termed chappars, and serve to carry despatches between the court and the provinces. When a chappar sets out, the master of the horse furnishes him with a single horse; and, when that is weary, he dismounts the first man he meets, and takes his horse. There is no pardon for a traveller that refuses to let a chappar have his horse, nor for any other who should deny him the best horse in his stable. See Sir J. Chardin's and Hanway's Travels. For pressing post horses, c., the Persian term is [Persian] Sukhreh geriften. I find no Persian word exactly of the sound and signification of αγγαρος but the Arabic [Arabic] agharet signifies spurring a horse, attacking, plundering, c. The Greek word itself is preserved among the rabbins in Hebrew characters, אנגריא angaria, and it has precisely the same meaning: viz. to be compelled by violence to do any particular service, especially of the public kind, by the king's authority. Lightfoot gives several instances of this in his Horae Talmudicae.
We are here exhorted to patience and forgiveness:
First, When we receive in our persons all sorts of insults and affronts, Matthew 5:39.
Secondly, When we are despoiled of our goods, Matthew 5:40.
Thirdly, When our bodies are forced to undergo all kinds of toils, vexations, and torments, Matthew 5:41. The way to improve the injustice of man to our own advantage, is to exercise under it meekness, gentleness, and long-suffering, without which disposition of mind, no man can either be happy here or hereafter for he that avenges himself must lose the mind of Christ, and thus suffer an injury ten thousand times greater than he can ever receive from man. Revenge, at such an expense, is dear indeed.
