Matthew 5:17

Jesus kept on teaching them. He said, “You know the law that Moses wrote. Well, I didn’t come here to take away that law. And you know all the messages that God gave to his men, the messages that they wrote in his book for us. I didn’t come here to take away those messages either. But I came here to show that the law and those messages are right, and to make those things happen, just like those men wrote.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

In Context

16You have to be like that candle. You have to let everyone see that you are following me. They will see all the good things you do, and they will say good things about God, your father in heaven. They will say, ‘God is really great.’”

18Listen. God’s book is really important. Everything in it will happen. You know, the earth and sky are always here. They don’t change. Well, just like that, God’s word and his laws will not change, not even a little bit. They will stay the same until everything in God’s book happens.

Read all of Matthew 5

Cross References

Psalms 40:6Some people kill animals to pay you for the bad things they did. And they give you animals and food as gifts. But that does not really make you happy. You don’t need people to burn animals for you. You don’t need people to give you gifts. You taught me all of this.

Matthew 3:15But Jesus said, “We have to do it the way God wants. So now, while you are baptising people, you can baptise me too.” Then John agreed with him.

Luke 16:17But the laws from Moses will not go away. You know, the sky and the earth will stay here for a long time, and while they stay here, God’s words will stay here too. God will not change any little bit of them.”

Acts 6:13Those men from that meeting house of the free men got those liars to stand up and say, “Stephen keeps on talking against this ceremony house. And he keeps on talking against our Jewish law.

Romans 8:4If we listen to his spirit in us, and if we do whatever he says, we will not listen any more to that old part of us that tells us to do bad things. We will do good things, like the things in his law.

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:14-17

The Sermon on the Mount. 13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 5:17