Matthew 5:39

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
I	ἐγὼ egō	G1473	I · personal pronoun — 1st person nominative singular
say	λέγω legō	G3004	properly · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
unto you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
That ye resist	ἀντιστῆναι antistēnai	G436	to stand against · verb — second aorist active infinitive
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
evil	πονηρῷ. ponērō	G4190	hurtful · adjective — dative singular neuter
but	ἀλλ᾽ all᾽	G235	properly · conjunction
whosoever	ὅστις hostis	G3748	which some · relative pronoun — nominative singular masculine
shall smite	ῥαπίζει rhapizei	G4474	to slap · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
thee	σέ sé	G4571	thee
on	ἐπί epí	G1909	properly
thy	σοῦ soû	G4675	of thee
right	δεξιὰν dexian	G1188	the right side or (feminine) hand (as that which usuall… · adjective — accusative singular feminine
cheek	σιαγόνα siagona	G4600	the jaw-bone · noun — accusative singular feminine
turn	στρέψον strepson	G4762	to twist · verb — aorist active imperative, 2nd person singular
to him	αὐτῷ autō	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — dative singular masculine
the other	ἄλλην· allēn	G243	"else · adjective — accusative singular feminine
also	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit…
Romans 12:17-19 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Proverbs 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Luke 6:29-30 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
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 ta…
Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Lamentations 3:30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:38-42

In these verses the law of retaliation is expounded, and in a manner repealed. Observe, I. What the Old Testament permission was, in case of injury; and here the expression is only, Ye have heard that is has been said; not, as before, concerning the commands of the decalogue, that it has been said by, or to, them of old time. It was a command, that every one should of necessity require such satisfaction; but they might lawfully insist upon it, if they pleased; an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. This we find, Exo 21:24; Lev 24:20; Deu 19:21; in all which places it is appointed to be done by the magistrate, who bears not the sword in vain, but is the minister of God, an avenger to exe…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 5:39

But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn to him the other also--Our Lord's own meek, yet dignified bearing, when smitten rudely on the cheek (Joh 18:22-23), and not literally presenting the other, is the best comment on these words. It is the preparedness, after one indignity, not to invite but to submit meekly to another, without retaliation, which this strong language is meant to convey.

John Gill on Matthew 5:39

But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil,.... This is not to be understood of any sort of evil, not of the evil of sin, of bad actions, and false doctrines, which are to be opposed; nor of the evil one, Satan, who is to be resisted; but of an evil man, an injurious one, who has done us an injury. We must not render evil for evil, or repay him in the same way; see James 5:6. Not but that a man may lawfully defend himself, and endeavour to secure himself from injuries; and may appear to the civil magistrate for redress of grievances; but he is not to make use of private revenge. As if a man should pluck out one of his eyes, he must not in revenge pluck out one of his; or should he strike ou…

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John Calvin

The Church Fathers

So, too, "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth," has now grown old, ever since "Let none render evil for evil" grew young.
— Tertullian, On Exhortation to Chastity

If one attempt to provoke you by manual violence, the monition of the Lord is at hand: "To him," He saith, "who smiteth thee on the face, turn the other cheek likewise." Let outrageousness be wearied out by your patience.
— Tertullian, Of Patience

Mystically interpreted; When we are smitten on the right cheek, He said not, offer to him thy left, but the other; for the righteous has not a left. That is, if a heretic has smitten us in disputation, and would wound us in a right hand doctrine, let him be met with another testimony from Scripture.
— Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Cheek — Smiting on the cheek was accounted a grievous injury and insult (Job 16:10; Lam. 3:30; Micah 5:1). The admonition (Luke 6:29), “Unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other,”…
Sermon on the mount — After spending a night in solemn meditation and prayer in the lonely mountain-range to the west of the Lake of Galilee (Luke 6:12), on the following morning our Lord called to him his disciples, and…
Assault And Battery · LAWS CONCERNING — LAWS CONCERNING
Commandments · DISCOURSE — DISCOURSE
Conduct, Christian · Submitting to injuries — Submitting to injuries
Forgiveness · OF ENEMIES — OF ENEMIES
Injustice · Saints should: Take no vengeance for — Saints should: Take no vengeance for
Judaism · .To make room for the Gospel — .To make room for the Gospel
Malice · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Meekness · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Religion · TRUE — TRUE
Retaliation · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Revenge · Forbidden by our Lord

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:38-42

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 5:39

John Gill on Matthew 5:39

John Calvin

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:38-42

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 5:39

John Gill on Matthew 5:39

John Calvin

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Matthew 5:38-42