Matthew 10:34 kjv
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:34 nkjv
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
Matthew 10:34 niv
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:34 esv
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:34 nlt
"Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 10:35-36 | For I have come to set a man against his father... and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. | Elaborates on family division. |
| Lk 12:51-53 | Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. | Parallel passage affirming division. |
| Mic 7:6 | For the son dishonors the father... a man’s enemies are the men of his own household. | OT prophecy fulfilled, echoing family division. |
| Isa 9:6 | For to us a child is born... and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. | Contrast with Christ as Prince of ultimate Peace. |
| Jn 14:27 | Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. | Jesus offers true inner peace, not worldly peace. |
| Jn 18:36 | My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would have been fighting... | Clarifies His kingdom's nature is not physical warfare. |
| Eph 6:17 | ...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. | Spiritual application of the "sword" as truth. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword... | Word of God as a dividing and revealing force. |
| Acts 14:4 | But the populace of the city was divided, some with the Jews and some with the apostles. | Gospel message causes societal division. |
| 1 Cor 1:18 | For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. | Gospel truth creates a fundamental separation. |
| Lk 2:34 | ...behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed... | Jesus' purpose to cause a dividing line. |
| Jer 6:14 | They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. | Prophetic critique of false, superficial peace. |
| 2 Tim 3:12 | Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. | True faith naturally leads to conflict. |
| Jn 15:18-19 | If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you... because you are not of the world... | The world's animosity towards followers of Christ. |
| Rom 12:18 | If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. | Believers' mandate for peace where possible, yet distinction remains. |
| 1 Pet 4:4 | With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of dissipation, and they malign you. | Distinction leads to social alienation and hostility. |
| 2 Cor 10:4-5 | For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds... | Spiritual nature of the conflict implied. |
| Phil 4:7 | And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. | The peace granted by God is internal, despite external turmoil. |
| Col 3:15 | And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... | Inner peace in the believer, not global harmony as the immediate outcome of Christ's advent. |
| Matt 24:6-7 | And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars... Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom... | Prophecy of continued conflict on earth until Christ's return. |
Matthew 10 verses
Matthew 10 34 Meaning
Jesus directly addresses a common misconception about His arrival, stating that His mission does not immediately bring universal, worldly peace to the earth. Instead, His presence and the truth of His Gospel act as a dividing force, metaphorically a "sword," severing allegiances, especially within families, and separating those who choose to follow Him from those who reject Him. This highlights the profound, costly nature of discipleship and the necessary spiritual conflict inherent in establishing His Kingdom.
Matthew 10 34 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' charge to His twelve disciples before He sends them out on their first mission to preach the Kingdom of Heaven, heal the sick, and cast out demons. The surrounding verses warn the disciples of the persecution, rejection, and suffering they will face. Jesus anticipates their surprise at the resistance and misunderstanding they will encounter, challenging their likely expectation of a universally welcomed, peaceful Messianic reign. The statement in verse 34 sets the tone for the cost of discipleship outlined in subsequent verses (Matt 10:37-39), where commitment to Christ must supersede even the closest family ties. This entire discourse contrasts with prevailing Jewish expectations of a Messiah who would bring political liberation and immediate, visible earthly peace.
Matthew 10 34 Word analysis
- Do not think (Μὴ νομίσητε, Mē nomisēte): A strong prohibitory command. Jesus is correcting a pervasive and deeply rooted misconception among His hearers, likely regarding the nature of the Messiah's immediate reign and kingdom. It implies that this expectation of universal earthly peace upon His arrival was a common but erroneous belief.
- I have come (ἦλθον, ēlethon): Signifies a purposeful, determined divine mission. It underlines Jesus' full awareness of His role and its immediate implications, contrasting with how people thought He came. His advent has specific, planned outcomes.
- to bring peace (βαλεῖν εἰρήνην, balein eirēnēn):
- peace (εἰρήνην, eirēnēn): While the biblical concept of "shalom" (Hebrew equivalent) is profound and encompasses wholeness and well-being, here it refers to an absence of conflict, political tranquility, and societal harmony – the kind of worldly peace often expected from a king.
- to bring (βαλεῖν, balein): Literally "to throw" or "to cast." Implies bringing something decisively onto a scene.
- to the earth (ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, epi tēn gēn): Refers to humanity's domain or the inhabited world. The context is broad societal impact.
- I have not come to bring peace, but a sword (οὐκ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν, ouk ēlethon balein eirēnēn alla machairan):
- Not... but... (οὐκ... ἀλλὰ...): A stark antithetical construction emphasizing the direct contrast between what Jesus did not come to bring and what He did.
- sword (μάχαιραν, machairan): This is symbolic, not literal.
- Not a literal weapon for warfare: Jesus explicitly stated His Kingdom is not of this world and does not advance by physical force (Jn 18:36).
- Symbol of division: The most prominent meaning here, as immediately clarified in the next verses (Matt 10:35-36). The Gospel message acts like a sharp blade, distinguishing between truth and falsehood, separating those who accept Christ from those who reject Him, even within families.
- Symbol of decision and judgment: The arrival of Christ forces people to make a fundamental choice for or against Him, which results in division.
- The Word of God: Later New Testament passages associate the "sword" with the Word of God (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12), which discerns hearts and divides truth from error. While not explicitly stated in Matt 10:34, this later understanding reinforces the symbolic, non-physical nature of the "sword."
Matthew 10 34 Bonus section
- The Paradox Explained: Jesus' "peace" is fundamentally different from the world's concept of peace. His peace is reconciliation with God (Rom 5:1), inner tranquility amidst external turmoil (Phil 4:7), and the ultimate future reign of peace in His Kingdom (Isa 9:6-7). The "sword" in Matt 10:34 refers to the disruption of false or superficial peace and the exposing of existing divisions that Jesus' truth brings to light, forcing individuals to take a side.
- "Already and Not Yet": The "sword" represents the present reality of conflict as the Kingdom of God advances. It's the "not yet" of universal earthly peace. The ultimate fulfillment of Jesus as the Prince of Peace, bringing global peace and justice, is a future "already and not yet" aspect, to be fully realized at His second coming.
- Polemic against Naiveté: This verse directly counters any simplistic or triumphalist expectations disciples might have had, warning them against naive optimism that everyone would joyfully embrace the Messiah. It underscores that His message necessitates a clear break from allegiance to anything that stands against Him.
Matthew 10 34 Commentary
Matthew 10:34 presents a paradox: Jesus, the promised "Prince of Peace," declares He did not come to bring peace, but a "sword." This statement challenges a superficial understanding of peace and of His Messianic mission. Rather than establishing immediate, worldly tranquility, His coming initiates a period of profound spiritual conflict and division. The "sword" represents the cutting, separating truth of the Gospel, which forces people to make a decisive choice. This choice often leads to rupture even within the closest social units, such as families, as seen in the subsequent verses. This passage clarifies that while Christ ultimately brings reconciliation with God and true inner peace to believers, His advent and the subsequent spread of His Kingdom necessitate conflict with the fallen world system, requiring costly commitment and courage from His followers.