Matthew 5 · Verse 19

Matthew 5:19

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19, King James Version

Matthew 5:19 in other translations

BSBSo then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
WEBTherefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
ASVWhosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
YLT‘Whoever therefore may loose one of these commands--the least--and may teach men so, least he shall be called in the reign of the heavens, but whoever may do and may teach them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.
DARBYWhosoever then shall do away with one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall practise and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.
BBEWhoever then goes against the smallest of these laws, teaching men to do the same, will be named least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who keeps the laws, teaching others to keep them, will be named great in the kingdom of heaven.
WebsterWhoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do, and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

What does Matthew 5:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. Whosoever therefore shall break--rather, "dissolve," "annul," or "make invalid." one of these least commandments--an expression equivalent to "one of the least of these commandments." and shall teach men so--referring to the Pharisees and their teaching, as is plain from Mt 5:20, but of course embracing all similar schools and teaching in the Christian Church. he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven--As the thing spoken of is not the practical breaking, or disobeying, of the law, but annulling or enervating its obligation by a vicious system of interpretation, and teaching others to do the same; so the thing threatened is not exclusion from heaven, and still less the lowest place in it, but a degraded and contemptuous position in the present stage of the kingdom of God. In other words, they shall be reduced by the retributive providence that overtakes them, to the same condition of dishonor to which, by their system and their teaching, they have brought down those eternal principles of God's law. but whosoever shall do and teach them--whose principles and teaching go to exalt the authority and honor of God's law, in its lowest as well as highest requirements. the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven--shall, by that providence which watches over the honor of God's moral administration, be raised to the same position of authority and honor to which they exalt the law.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. Shall break. Shall violate, or disobey.

These least commandments. The Pharisees, it is probable, divided the precepts of the law into lesser and greater, teaching that they who violated the former were guilty of a trivial offence only. See Mt 23:23. Christ teaches that in his kingdom they who make this distinction, or who taught that any laws of God might be violated with impunity, should be called least; while they should be held in high regard who observed all the laws of God without distinction.

Shall be called the least. That is, shall be least. The meaning of this passage seems to be this: "In the kingdom of heaven," that is, in the kingdom of the Messiah, or in the church which he is about to establish, (Mt 3:2) he that breaks the least of these commandments shall be in no esteem, or shall not be regarded as a proper religious teacher. The Pharisees divided the law into greater and lesser precepts. They made no small part of it void by their traditions and divisions, Mt 23:23, 15:3-6. Jesus says, that in his kingdom all this vain division and tradition should cease. Such divisions and distinctions should be a small matter. He that attempted it should be the least of all. Men would be engaged in yielding obedience to all the law of God, without any such vain distinctions.

Shall be called great, he that teaches that all the law of God is binding, and that all of it should be obeyed, without attempting to specify what is most important, shall be a teacher worthy of his office, shall teach the truth, and shall be called great. We learn hence,

(1.) that all the law of God is binding on Christians. Comp. Jas 2:10

(2.) That all the commands of God should be preached, in their proper place, by Christian ministers.

(3.) That they who pretend that there are any laws of God so small that they need not obey them, are unworthy of his kingdom. And,

(4.) that true piety has respect to all the commandments of God, and keeps them, Ps 119:6.

(p) "shall be called great" 1Sam 2:30

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 Whosoever - shall break one of these least commandments - The Pharisees were remarkable for making a distinction between weightier and lighter matters in the law, and between what has been called, in a corrupt part of the Christian Church, mortal and venial sins. See on Mat 22:36 (note). Whosoever shall break. What an awful consideration is this! He who, by his mode of acting, speaking, or explaining the words of God, sets the holy precept aside, or explains away its force and meaning, shall be called least - shall have no place in the kingdom of Christ here, nor in the kingdom of glory above. That this is the meaning of these words is evident enough from the following verse.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:17-20

Let none suppose that Christ allows his people to trifle with any commands of God's holy law. No sinner partakes of Christ's justifying righteousness, till he repents of his evil deeds. The mercy revealed in the gospel leads the believer to still deeper self-abhorrence. The law is the Christian's rule of duty, and he delights therein. If a man, pretending to be Christ's disciple, encourages himself in any allowed…

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:17-20 →

Matthew 5:19 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὋςHosWho[ever]G3739
ἐὰνeanifG1437
οὖνounthenG3767
λύσῃlusēshall breakG3089
μίανmianoneG1520
τῶνtōnof theG3588
ἐντολῶνentolōncommandmentsG1785
τούτωνtoutōnof theseG3778
τῶνtōntheG3588
ἐλαχίστωνelachistōnleastG1646
καὶkaiandG2532
διδάξῃdidaxēshall teachG1321
οὕτωςhoutōssoG3779
τοὺςtoustheG3588
ἀνθρώπους,anthrōpousothers,G444
ἐλάχιστοςelachistosleastG1646
κληθήσεταιklēthēsetaihe will be calledG2564
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
βασιλείᾳbasileiakingdomG932
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶν.ouranōnheavens.G3772
ὃςhoswho[ever]G3739
δ᾽d᾽nowG1161
ἂνanmaybeG302
ποιήσῃpoiēsēmay keepG4160
καὶkaiandG2532
διδάξῃ,didaxēmay teach [them],G1321
οὗτοςhoutosthis [one]G3778
μέγαςmegasgreatG3173
κληθήσεταιklēthēsetaiwill be calledG2564
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
βασιλείᾳbasileiakingdomG932
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶν.ouranōnheavens.G3772

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 5:19

  • Deuteronomy 12:32

    What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

  • James 2:10-11

    For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

  • Matthew 28:20

    Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

  • Romans 13:8-10

    Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

  • Matthew 11:11

    Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

  • 1 Timothy 6:3-4

    If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

  • Daniel 12:3

    And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

  • Psalms 119:6

    Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

  • 1 Timothy 4:11-12

    These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7

    Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; …

  • Deuteronomy 27:26

    Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

  • Psalms 119:128

    Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
shall break.
De 27:26; Ps 119:6,128; Ga 3:10-13; Jas 2:10,11
these.
23:23; De 12:32; Lu 11:42
shall teach.
15:3-6; 23:16-22; Mal 2:8,9; Ro 3:8; 6:1,15; 1Ti 6:3,4
Re 2:14,15,20
the least.
11:11; 1Sa 2:30
do.
28:20; Ac 1:1; Ro 13:8-10; Ga 5:14-24; Php 3:17,18; 4:8,9
1Th 2:10-12; 4:1-7; 1Ti 4:11,12; 6:11; Tit 2:8-10; 3:8
great.
19:28; 20:26; Da 12:3; Lu 1:15; 9:48; 22:24-26; 1Pe 5:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 5:18

    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.

  • Matthew 5:19

    Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

  • Matthew 5:20

    For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		De manera que cualquiera que infringiere uno de estos mandamientos muy pequeños, y así enseñare á los hombres, muy pequeño será llamado en el reino de los cielos: mas cualquiera que hiciere y enseñare, éste será llamado grande en el reino de los cielos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Quiconque donc aura supprimé l’un de ces plus petits commandements et aura enseigné ainsi les hommes, sera appelé le plus petit dans le royaume des cieux; et quiconque l’aura pratiqué et enseigné, celui-là sera appelé grand dans le royaume des cieux.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wer irgend nun eines dieser geringsten Gebote auflöst und also die Menschen lehrt, wird der Geringste heißen im Reiche der Himmel; wer irgend aber sie tut und lehrt, dieser wird groß heißen im Reiche der Himmel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui ergo solverit unum de mandatis istis minimis, et docuerit sic homines, minimus vocabitur in regno cælorum: qui autem fecerit et docuerit, hic magnus vocabitur in regno cælorum.