Matthew 5 · Verse 28

Matthew 5:28

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Matthew 5:28, King James Version

Matthew 5:28 in other translations

BSB	But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
WEB	but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
ASV	but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
YLT	but I--I say to you, that every one who is looking on a woman to desire her, did already commit adultery with her in his heart.
DARBY	But I say unto you, that every one who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
BBE	But I say to you that everyone whose eyes are turned on a woman with desire has had connection with her in his heart.
Webster	But I say to you, That whoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

What does Matthew 5:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

28. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her--with the intent to do so, as the same expression is used in Mt 6:1; or, with the full consent of his will, to feed thereby his unholy desires. hath committed adultery with her already in his heart--We are not to suppose, from the word here used--"adultery"--that our Lord means to restrict the breach of this commandment to married persons, or to criminal intercourse with such. The expressions, "whosoever looketh," and "looketh upon a woman," seem clearly to extend the range of this commandment to all forms of impurity, and the counsels which follow--as they most certainly were intended for all, whether married or unmarried--seem to confirm this. As in dealing with the sixth commandment our Lord first expounds it, and then in the four following verses applies His exposition (Mt 5:21-25), so here He first expounds the seventh commandment, and then in the four following verses applies His exposition (Mt 5:28-32).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 28 Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her - Επιθυμησαι αυτην, earnestly to covet her. The verb, επιθυμεω, is undoubtedly used here by our Lord, in the sense of coveting through the influence of impure desire. The word is used in precisely the same sense, on the same subject, by Herodotus, book the first, near the end. I will give the passage, but I dare not translate it. To the learned reader it will justify my translation, and the unlearned must take my word. Της ΕΠΙΘΥΜΗΣΕΙ γυναικος Μασσαγετης ανηρ, μισγεται αδεως, Raphelius, on this verse, says, επιθυμειν hoc loco, est turpi cupiditate mulieris potiundae flagrare. In all these eases, our blessed Lord points out the spirituality of the law; which was a matter to which the Jews paid very little attention. Indeed it is the property of a Pharisee to abstain only from the outward crime. Men are very often less inquisitive to know how far the will of God extends, that they may please him in performing it, than they are to know how far they may satisfy their lusts without destroying their bodies and souls, utterly, by an open violation of his law. Hath committed adultery with her already in his heart - It is the earnest wish or desire of the soul, which, in a variety of cases, constitutes the good or evil of an act. If a man earnestly wish to commit an evil, but cannot, because God puts time, place, and opportunity out of his power, he is fully chargeable with the iniquity of the act, by that God who searches and judges the heart. So, if a man earnestly wish to do some kindness, which it is out of his power to perform, the act is considered as his; because God, in this case, as in that above, takes the will for the deed. If voluntary and deliberate looks and desires make adulterers and adulteresses, how many persons are there whose whole life is one continued crime! whose eyes being full of adultery, they cannot cease from sin, 2Pet 2:14. Many would abhor to commit one external act before the eyes of men, in a temple of stone; and yet they are not afraid to commit a multitude of such acts in the temple of their hearts, and in the sight of God!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:27-32

Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painful exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others into temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be…

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:27-32 →

Matthew 5:28 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.

ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473

δὲdehoweverG1161

λέγωlegōsayG3004

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

ὅτιhotithatG3754

πᾶςpaseveryoneG3956

ὁhowhoG3588

βλέπωνblepōnis looking uponG991

γυναῖκαgunaikaa womanG1135

πρὸςprosin orderG4314

τὸto<the>G3588

ἐπιθυμῆσαιepithumēsaito lust afterG1937

αὐτὴνautēnherG846

ἤδηēdēalreadyG2235

ἐμοίχευσενemoicheusenhas committed adultery withG3431

αὐτὴνautēnherG846

ἐνeninG1722

τῇtēatheG3588

καρδίᾳkardiaheartG2588

αὐτοῦ.autouof him.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 5:28

James 1:14-15
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Proverbs 6:25
Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
Exodus 20:17
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
2 Samuel 11:2
And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
Job 31:1
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Romans 7:7-8
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
2 Peter 2:14
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
Genesis 34:2
And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
Job 31:9
If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;
Romans 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Psalms 119:96
I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I say.
22,39; 7:28,29
That.
Ge 34:2; 39:7-23
Ex 20:17; 2Sa 11:2; Job 31:1,9; Pr 6:25; Jas 1:14,15; 2Pe 2:14
1Jo 2:16
hath.
Ps 119:96; Ro 7:7,8,14

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

Context

Matthew 5:27
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Matthew 5:28
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 5:29
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:28 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas yo os digo, que cualquiera que mira á una mujer para codiciarla, ya adulteró con ella en su corazón.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mais moi, je vous dis que quiconque regarde une femme pour la convoiter, a déjà commis adultère avec elle dans son cœur.
German Elberfelder 1871	Ich aber sage euch, daß jeder, der ein Weib ansieht, ihrer zu begehren, schon Ehebruch mit ihr begangen hat in seinem Herzen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Ego autem dico vobis: quia omnis qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam mœchatus est eam in corde suo.