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Matthew 5:20

in Matthew 5

For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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

KJV

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.

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This verse in Matthew 5

Commentary

4 notes on this verse
For I say unto you,.... These words are directed, not to the true disciples of Christ in general, or to his apostles in particular, but to the whole multitude of the people; who had in great esteem and admiration the Scribes and Pharisees, for their seeming righteousness and holiness; concerning which Christ says, that except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This site's exposition

righteousness shall exceed

The righteousness thread's third beat sets an entrance requirement no scribe or Pharisee's outward law-keeping could meet, since their righteousness was measured in visible acts, tithing mint and cummin, while missing the heart the antitheses go on to expose. The commentators read the demand two ways, as a righteousness Christ supplies to the believer and a righteousness his Spirit then produces in the life, the two held together rather than argued apart. Either way the verse forces the hearer past comparison with other people and toward an inward standard only God can see.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Except your righteousness shall exceed - περισσευση, Unless your righteousness abound more - unless it take in, not only the letter, but the spirit and design of the moral and ritual precept; the one directing you how to walk so as to please God; the other pointing out Christ, the great Atonement, through and by which a sinner is enabled to do so - more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, who only attend to the letter of the law, and had indeed made even that of no effect by their traditions - ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

on Matthew 5:13-20

These verses teach us, in the first place, the character which true Christians must support and maintain in the world . The Lord Jesus tells us that true Christians are to be in the world “Ye are the salt of the earth.” Now salt has a peculiar taste of its own, utterly unlike anything else. When mingled with other substances it preserves them from corruption; it imparts a portion of its taste to everything it is mixed with. It is useful so long as it preserves its savour, but no longer. Are we true Christians?

The words behind it

23 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Romans 10:2–3For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.28 worksPhilippians 3:9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.27 worksRomans 9:30–32What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;24 worksLuke 16:14–15The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.18 worksMatthew 23:2–5“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.14 worksJohn 3:3–5Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”12 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 18:3“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.12 worksMatthew 23:23–28Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.10 works2 Corinthians 5:17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!8 worksHebrews 12:14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.8 worksMatthew 5:47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?8 works1 Peter 2:24He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”8 worksMatthew 7:21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.7 worksJohn 3:5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.6 worksMatthew 16:12Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.6 worksLuke 11:39–40“Now then,” said the Lord, “you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.5 worksRevelation 21:27But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.5 worksLuke 20:46–47“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.5 works

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Philippians 3:9

    and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

    it leads to

    • 2 Corinthians 5:21

      God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

    • 1 Corinthians 1:30

      It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.

    • Galatians 2:16

      know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in…

    • Romans 4:13–15

      For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

    • Romans 4:5–6

      However, to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Where this verse is studied

About Matthew

John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
John the Baptist Baptizes Jesus — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Matthew: the study guide →Read Matthew 5 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Charles Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew and John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748).

Read on in Matthew 5 →