Matthew 5 · Verse 36

Matthew 5:36

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Matthew 5:36, King James Version

Matthew 5:36 in other translations

BSBNor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
WEBNeither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black.
ASVNeither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.
YLTnor by thy head mayest thou swear, because thou art not able one hair to make white or black;
DARBYNeither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
BBEYou may not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.
WebsterNeither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

What does Matthew 5:36 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black--In the other oaths specified, God's name was profaned quite as really as if His name had been uttered, because it was instantly suggested by the mention of His "throne," His "footstool," His "city." But in swearing by our own head and the like, the objection lies in their being "beyond our control," and therefore profanely assumed to have a stability which they have not.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 36. Thy head. This was a common oath. The Gentiles also many of them used this oath. To swear by the head was the same as to swear by the life; or to say, I will forfeit my life if what I say is not true. God is the Author of the life, and to swear by that, therefore, is the same as to swear by him.

One hair, etc. You have no control or right over your own life. You cannot even change one single hair. God has all that control; and it is therefore improper and profane to pledge what is God's gift and God's property; and it is the same as swearing by God himself.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head - For these plain reasons: 1st. God commands thee not to do it. 2dly. Thou hast nothing which is thy own, and thou shouldst not pledge another's property. 3dly. It never did, and never can, answer any good purpose. And 4thly. Being a breach of the law of God, it is the way to everlasting misery.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:33-37

There is no reason to consider that solemn oaths in a court of justice, or on other proper occasions, are wrong, provided they are taken with due reverence. But all oaths taken without necessity, or in common conversation, must be sinful, as well as all those expressions which are appeals to God, though persons think thereby to evade the guilt of swearing. The worse men are, the less they are bound by oaths; the…

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:33-37 →

Matthew 5:36 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.

μήτεmētenorG3383
ἐνenbyG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
κεφαλῇkephalēaheadG2776
σουsouof youG4771
ὀμόσῃςomosēsmay you swearG3660
ὅτιhotibecauseG3754
οὐounotG3756
δύνασαιdunasaiyou are ableG1410
μίανmianoneG1520
τρίχαtrichahairG2359
λευκὴνleukēnwhiteG3022
ποιῆσαιpoiēsaito makeG4160
ἢēorG2228
μέλαιναν.melainanblack.G3189

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

Cross references for Matthew 5:36

  • Luke 12:25

    And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

  • Matthew 6:27

    Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

  • Matthew 23:16-21

    Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
shalt.
23:16-21
because.
6:27; Lu 12:25

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

Context

  • Matthew 5:35

    Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

  • Matthew 5:36

    Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

  • Matthew 5:37

    But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:36 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ni por tu cabeza jurarás, porque no puedes hacer un cabello blanco ó negro.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tu ne jureras pas non plus par ta tête, car tu ne peux faire blanc ou noir un cheveu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		noch sollst du bei deinem Haupte schwören, denn du vermagst nicht, ein Haar weiß oder schwarz zu machen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		neque per caput tuum juraveris, quia non potes unum capillum album facere, aut nigrum.