Matthew 5 · Verse 46

Matthew 5:46

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Matthew 5:46, King James Version

Matthew 5:46 in other translations

BSBIf you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?
WEBFor if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
ASVFor if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
YLT‘For, if ye may love those loving you, what reward have ye? do not also the tax-gatherers the same?
DARBYFor if ye should love those who love you, what reward have ye? Do not also the tax-gatherers the same?
BBEFor if you have love for those who have love for you, what credit is it to you? do not the tax-farmers the same?
WebsterFor if ye love them who love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

What does Matthew 5:46 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
46. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?--The publicans, as collectors of taxes due to the Roman government, were ever on this account obnoxious to the Jews, who sat uneasy under a foreign yoke, and disliked whatever brought this unpleasantly before them. But the extortion practiced by this class made them hateful to the community, who in their current speech ranked them with "harlots." Nor does our Lord scruple to speak of them as others did, which we may be sure He never would have done if it had been calumnious. The meaning, then, is, "In loving those who love you, there is no evidence of superior principle; the worst of men will do this: even a publican will go that length."

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 46. What reward have ye?, The word reward seems to be used in the sense of deserving of praise, or reward. If you only love those that love you, you are selfish, you are not disinterested; it is not genuine love for the character, but love for the benefit; and you deserve no commendation. The very publicans would do the same.

The Publicans, The publicans were tax gatherers. Judea was a province of the Roman empire. The Jews bore this foreign yoke with great impatience, and paid their taxes with great reluctance. It happened, therefore, that those who were appointed to collect taxes were objects of great detestation. They were, beside, men who would be supposed to execute their office at all hazards; men who were willing to engage in an odious and hated employment; men often of abandoned characters, oppressive in their exactions, and dissolute in their lives. By the Jews they were associated in character with thieves, and adulterers, and those who were profane and dissolute. Christ says that even these wretched men would love their benefactors.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 46 For if ye love them which love you - He who loves only his friends, does nothing for God's sake. He who loves for the sake of pleasure or interest, pays himself. God has no enemy which he hates but sin; we should have no other. The publicans - That is, tax-gatherers, τελωναι, from τελος a tax, and ωνεομαι I buy or farm. A farmer or collector of the taxes or public revenues. Of these there were two classes; the superior, who were Romans of the equestrian order; and the inferior, those mentioned in the Gospels, who it appears were mostly Jews. This class of men was detestable among the Romans, the Greeks, and the Jews, for their intolerable rapacity and avarice. They were abhorred in an especial manner by the Jews, to whom the Roman government was odious: these, assisting in collecting the Roman tribute, were considered as betrayers of the liberties of their country, and abettors of those who enslaved it. They were something like the tythe-farmers of certain college-livings in some counties of England, as Lancashire, etc. - a principal cause of the public burthens and discontent. One quotation, of the many produced by Kypke, will amply show in what detestation they were held among the Greeks. Theocritus being asked, Which of the wild beasts were the most cruel? answered, Εν μεν τοις ορεσιν αρκτοι και λεοντες· εν δε ταις πολεσιν, ΤΕΛΩΝΑΙ και συκοφανται. Bears and lions, in the mountains; and Tax-Gatherers and calumniators, in cities.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:43-48

The Jewish teachers by "neighbour" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord Jesus teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all, especially to their souls. We must pray for them. While many will render good for good, we must render good for evil; and this will speak a nobler principle than most men act by…

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:43-48 →

Matthew 5:46 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.

ἐὰνeanIfG1437
γὰρgarforG1063
ἀγαπήσητεagapēsēteyou shall loveG25
τοὺςtousthoseG3588
ἀγαπῶνταςagapōntaslovingG25
ὑμᾶς,humasyou,G4771
τίναtinawhatG5101
μισθὸνmisthonrewardG3408
ἔχετε;echetehave you?G2192
οὐχὶouchiSurelyG3780
καὶkaialsoG2532
οἱhoitheG3588
τελῶναιtelōnaitax collectorsG5057
τὸtotheG3588
αὐτὸautosameG846
ποιοῦσιν;poiousindo?G4160

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

Cross references for Matthew 5:46

  • Luke 6:32-35

    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. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

  • 1 Peter 2:20-23

    For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

  • Matthew 11:19

    The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

  • Matthew 9:10-11

    And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

  • Matthew 18:17

    And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

  • Luke 18:13

    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

  • Luke 15:1

    Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

  • Matthew 6:1

    Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

  • Matthew 21:31-32

    Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

  • Luke 19:7

    And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

  • Luke 19:2

    And, behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
if.
6:1; Lu 6:32-35; 1Pe 2:20-23
publicans.
9:10,11; 11:19; 18:17; 21:31,32; Lu 15:1; 18:13; 19:2,7

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

Context

  • Matthew 5:45

    That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

  • Matthew 5:46

    For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

  • Matthew 5:47

    And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:46 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque si amareis á los que os aman, ¿qué recompensa tendréis? ¿no hacen también lo mismo los publicanos?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car si vous aimez ceux qui vous aiment, quelle récompense avez-vous? Les publicains même n’en font-ils pas autant?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn wenn ihr liebet, die euch lieben, welchen Lohn habt ihr? Tun nicht auch die Zöllner dasselbe?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si enim diligitis eos qui vos diligunt, quam mercedem habebitis? nonne et publicani hoc faciunt?