Devine Scripture

Matthew 5:34

What does Matthew 5:34 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 5:34 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 5:34 means

Jesus issues a radical command: "Swear not at all." This forbids the common practice of taking oaths, even by seemingly lesser things like heaven. He clarifies that swearing by heaven is equivalent to swearing by God, because heaven is "the throne of God." This teaching aims at promoting ultimate truthfulness in everyday speech, making oaths unnecessary because one's word should already be fully trustworthy.

Matthew 5:34 in context

Matthew 5 — The Beatitudes

Jesus opens his Sermon on the Mount with eight pronouncements that turn the world's value system upside down. Blessing belongs not to the proud and self-sufficient but to the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. In a few sentences he sketches the character of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and then calls them salt of the earth and light of the world.

  • Kingdom ethics
  • Inner righteousness
  • True blessedness
  • Light and salt

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But I say to you, Take no oaths at all: not by the heaven, because it is the seat of God;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

but I--I say to you, not to swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is the throne of God,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven for it is the throne of God:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But I say unto you, Do not swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is [the] throne ofGod;

Context

This verse delivers Jesus' radical command against swearing oaths, directly contrasting the traditional understanding presented in verse 33. It begins to explain why such oaths are problematic, by connecting them to God's divine authority, and continues this explanation in the following verses, extending the principle to various forms of oath-taking.

v.33Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

v.34This passage

v.35nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • James 5:12

    But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment.

  • Deuteronomy 23:21

    When thou shalt vow a vow unto Jehovah thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it: for Jehovah thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

  • Isaiah 57:15

    For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

  • Matthew 23:16

    Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:2

    All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

  • Isaiah 66:1

    Thus saith Jehovah, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what manner of house will ye build unto me? and what place shall be my rest?

Sermon ideas from Matthew 5:34

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What Matthew 5:34 teaches us about kingdom ethics

  • What Matthew 5:34 teaches us about inner righteousness

  • What Matthew 5:34 teaches us about true blessedness

  • What Matthew 5:34 teaches us about light and salt

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