Matthew 5 · Verse 42

Matthew 5:42

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Matthew 5:42, King James Version

Matthew 5:42 in other translations

BSB	Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
WEB	Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
ASV	Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
YLT	to him who is asking of thee be giving, and him who is willing to borrow from thee thou mayest not turn away.
DARBY	To him that asks of thee give, and from him that desires to borrow of thee turn not away.
BBE	Give to him who comes with a request, and keep not your property from him who would for a time make use of it.
Webster	Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.

What does Matthew 5:42 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

42. Give to him that asketh thee--The sense of unreasonable asking is here implied (compare Lu 6:30). and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away--Though the word signifies classically "to have money lent to one on security," or "with interest," yet as this was not the original sense of the word, and as usury was forbidden among the Jews (Ex 22:25, &c.), it is doubtless simple borrowing which our Lord here means, as indeed the whole strain of the exhortation implies. This shows that such counsels as "Owe no man anything" (Ro 13:8), are not to be taken absolutely; else the Scripture commendations of the righteous for "lending" to his necessitous brother (Psa 37:36; 112:5; Lu 6:37) would have no application. turn not thou away--a graphic expression of unfeeling refusal to relieve a brother in extremity. Same Subject--Love to Enemies (Mt 5:43-48).

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 42. Give to him that asketh thee. This is the general rule. It is better to give sometimes to an undeserving person, than to turn away one really necessitous. It is good to be in the habit of giving. At the same time, the rule must be interpreted so as to be consistent with our duty to our families, (1Timm 5:8) and with other objects of justice and charity. It is seldom, perhaps never, good to give to a man that is able to work, 2Thes 3:10. To give to such is to encourage laziness, and to support the idle at the expense of the industrious. If such a man is indeed hungry, feed him; if he wants anything farther, give him employment. If a widow, an orphan, a man of misfortune, or a man infirm, lame, or sick, is at your door, never send them away empty. See Heb 13:2, Mt 25:35-45. So of a poor and needy friend that wishes to borrow. We are not to turn away, or deny him. This deserves, however, some limitation. It must be done in consistency with other duties. To lend to every worthless man, would be to throw away our property, encourage laziness and crime, and ruin our families. It should be done consistently, and of this every man is to be the judge. Perhaps our Saviour meant to teach that where there was a deserving friend or brother in want, we should lend to him, without usury, and without standing much about the security.

(g) "turn not thou away" De 15:7,11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow - To give and lend freely to all who are in need, is a general precept from which we are only excused by our inability to perform it. Men are more or less obliged to it as they are more or less able, as the want is more or less pressing, as they are more or less burthened with common poor, or with necessitous relatives. In all these matters, both prudence and charity must be consulted. That God, who makes use of the beggar's hand to ask our charity, is the same from whom we ourselves beg our daily bread: and dare we refuse Him! Let us show at least mildness and compassion, when we can do no more; and if we cannot or will not relieve a poor man, let us never give him an ill word nor an ill look. If we do not relieve him, we have no right to insult him. To give and to lend, are two duties of charity which Christ joins together, and which he sets on equal footing. A rich man is one of God's stewards: God has given him money for the poor, and he cannot deny it without an act of injustice. But no man, from what is called a principle of charity or generosity, should give that in alms which belongs to his creditors. Generosity is godlike; but justice has ever, both in law and Gospel, the first claim. A loan is often more beneficial than an absolute gift: first, because it flatters less the vanity of him who lends; secondly, it spares more the shame of him who is in real want; and, thirdly, it gives less encouragement to the idleness of him who may not be very honest. However, no advantage should be taken of the necessities of the borrower: he who does so is, at least, half a murderer. The lending which our Lord here inculcates is that which requires no more than the restoration of the principal in a convenient time: otherwise to live upon trust is the sure way to pay double.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:38-42

The plain instruction is, Suffer any injury that can be borne, for the sake of peace, committing your concerns to the Lord's keeping. And the sum of all is, that Christians must avoid disputing and striving. If any say, Flesh and blood cannot pass by such an affront, let them remember, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and those who act upon right principles will have most peace and comfort.

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:38-42 →

Matthew 5:42 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.

τῷtōTo the [one]G3588

αἰτοῦντίaitountiaskingG154

σεseyouG4771

δός,dosdo giveG1325

καὶkaiandG2532

τὸνtonthe [one]G3588

θέλονταthelontadesiringG2309

ἀπὸapofromG575

σοῦsouyouG4771

δανίσασθαιdanisasthaito borrowG1155

μὴmēnotG3361

ἀποστραφῇς.¶apostraphēasmay you turn away from.G654

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

Cross references for Matthew 5:42

Proverbs 19:17
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Hebrews 13:16
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Luke 6:30-36
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. …
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
Psalms 112:5-9
A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. …
Psalms 37:21
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
1 John 3:16-18
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Deuteronomy 15:7-14
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. …
Romans 12:20
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. …
Psalms 37:25-26
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Proverbs 3:27-28
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

25:35-40; De 15:7-14; Job 31:16-20; Ps 37:21,25,26; 112:5-9
Pr 3:27,28; 11:24,25; 19:17; Ec 11:1,2,6; Isa 58:6-12; Da 4:27
Lu 6:30-36; 11:41; 14:12-14; Ro 12:20; 2Co 9:6-15; 1Ti 6:17-19
Heb 6:10; 13:16; Jas 1:27; 2:15,16; 1Jo 3:16-18

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

Context

Matthew 5:41
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Matthew 5:42
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Matthew 5:43
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:42 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Al que te pidiere, dale; y al que quisiere tomar de ti prestado, no se lo rehuses.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Donne à qui te demande, et ne te détourne pas de qui veut emprunter de toi.
German Elberfelder 1871	Gib dem, der dich bittet, und weise den nicht ab, der von dir borgen will.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Qui petit a te, da ei: et volenti mutuari a te, ne avertaris.