Matthew 5:18 kjv
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:18 nkjv
For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Matthew 5:18 niv
For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Matthew 5:18 esv
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Matthew 5:18 nlt
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.
Matthew 5 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 5:17 | "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill." | Christ's mission to fulfill, not abolish. |
| Luke 16:17 | "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fall." | Emphasizes Law's immutability. |
| Ps 19:7 | "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple." | Perfection and certainty of God's Law. |
| Ps 119:89 | "Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens." | Eternal establishment of God's word. |
| Isa 40:8 | "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." | Enduring nature of God's word. |
| Matt 24:35 | "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." | Christ's words have the same eternal quality. |
| Deut 4:2 | "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it..." | Prohibition against altering God's commands. |
| Ps 111:7-8 | "...All his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, enacted in uprightness and truth." | God's precepts are eternally reliable. |
| Rom 3:31 | "Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." | Faith upholds, not destroys, the Law. |
| Gal 3:24 | "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came..." | Law's role until Christ came as fulfiller. |
| Heb 8:13 | "In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete..." | Distinction in covenant application, not moral Law's essence. |
| Rom 8:3-4 | "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do... in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us..." | Fulfillment of Law's righteousness in believers. |
| Rom 10:4 | "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." | Christ is the goal/purpose of the Law. |
| Heb 10:1 | "For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form..." | Law as a shadow pointing to Christ's reality. |
| Exod 24:3 | "Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules..." | People pledged obedience to the Law. |
| Deut 6:24 | "And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes... for our good always..." | Law given for Israel's good. |
| John 1:17 | "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." | Relationship between Law and Grace. |
| 1 Pet 1:25 | "but the word of the Lord remains forever." | Confirming the eternal nature of God's word. |
| Col 2:16-17 | "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you... These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." | Ceremonial Law fulfilled in Christ. |
| Acts 13:38-39 | "let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses..." | Justification is not by Law but by Christ. |
| Eph 2:15 | "by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace." | Abolition of the dividing ceremonial/ordinances Law, not moral. |
| Jas 2:10 | "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it." | The unity and indivisibility of the Law. |
Matthew 5 verses
Matthew 5 18 Meaning
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will by any means pass away from the Law until all is accomplished. This verse proclaims the absolute, enduring validity and permanence of the Old Testament Law and the Prophets. Jesus declares that His coming does not annul or diminish the divine authority or every minute detail of the Mosaic Law. Instead, it signifies that the Law's divine purpose and intent will stand unyielded until its full consummation and realization through Christ's work and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
Matthew 5 18 Context
Matthew 5:18 is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), specifically within Jesus' teaching on His relationship to the Old Testament Law and the Prophets (Matt 5:17-20). Jesus has just stated He did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (v. 17). This verse immediately follows, strongly asserting the enduring nature and meticulous preservation of every detail of God's Word. The original audience was primarily Jewish, accustomed to the Law's centrality in their lives. Many held the Law in the highest regard, some possibly misunderstanding Jesus' teaching as a radical departure. Jesus here clarifies that He respects, upholds, and brings to ultimate purpose the very Law that was foundational to their faith, directly addressing potential accusations that He was undermining Mosaic tradition or divine revelation. His polemic is against any notion of disregard for God's revealed will.
Matthew 5 18 Word analysis
- For (γάρ - gar): A conjunction signifying a causal relationship, indicating that what follows explains or provides a reason for the preceding statement in verse 17.
- truly, I say to you (ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν - amēn legō hymin): A characteristic phrase of Jesus, "Amen I say to you," signifying solemn emphasis and authoritative declaration of truth. It underscores the profound importance and certainty of the statement that follows.
- till heaven and earth pass away (ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ - heōs an parelthē ho ouranos kai hē gē): An emphatic Hebrew idiom signifying extreme permanence and endurance. It indicates that the Law's validity will continue as long as the current created order exists, effectively conveying its eternal nature in relation to this age. This implies a future eschatological context where a "new heaven and new earth" will be established (Rev 21:1).
- not one jot or one tittle (μία ἰῶτα ἓν κέραια - mia iota hen keraia): This phrase highlights the meticulous detail and absolute integrity of the Law.
- jot (ἰῶτα - iota): Refers to the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet (iota) and corresponds to the Hebrew letter "yodh" (י), which is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It represents the smallest possible unit of writing.
- tittle (κέραια - keraia): Meaning "a horn" or "a serif," refers to the tiny distinguishing strokes or embellishments that differentiate similar-looking Hebrew letters (e.g., differentiating dalet ד from resh ר, or bet ב from kaf כ). It signifies the minutest, seemingly insignificant detail.
- will by any means pass away from the Law (οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου - ou mē parelthē apo tou nomou): The strong double negative (οὐ μὴ - ou mē) emphatically denies the possibility of any part of the Law perishing or losing its validity. The "Law" (νόμος - nomos) refers primarily to the Torah (the Pentateuch) but broadly encompasses the entire Old Testament (Law and Prophets).
- till all is accomplished (ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται - heōs an panta genētai): This pivotal phrase clarifies the nature of the Law's enduring existence.
- accomplished/fulfilled (γένηται - genētai): This term carries the meaning of "coming into being," "happening," "being done," or "being brought to its intended end/purpose." It is directly linked to the "fulfill" in verse 17. It refers not to the abolition of the Law, but to its complete realization, the bringing to fruition of its entire scope, its prophetic pointing to Christ, and the full revelation of God's redemptive plan through Jesus. It signifies that the Law serves a purpose that must be fully realized through God's work.
Matthew 5 18 Bonus section
The phrase "till all is accomplished" is understood in different yet complementary ways. Some see "all" as referring to the consummation of all prophetic events, including Jesus' second coming and the new heavens and earth. Others emphasize Christ's finished work on the cross, His fulfilling of the sacrificial system and legal requirements, and His embodiment of all moral righteousness. Both interpretations uphold the Law's permanence, transitioning from a rigid code to a reality fulfilled and internalized through the Holy Spirit in Christ's followers (Jer 31:33, Ezek 36:26-27). This implies a shift from external adherence to inward transformation, where the essence of the Law's demands is met by faith in Christ.
Matthew 5 18 Commentary
Matthew 5:18 serves as a strong affirmation of the divine origin and perpetual authority of God's Word, represented by the Old Testament Law and Prophets. Jesus vehemently denies any intention to diminish their relevance or abrogate their commands. Instead, He asserts their steadfastness to the point of not even the smallest stroke or detail passing away. The phrase "until all is accomplished" is crucial. It signifies that the Law finds its complete realization and intended purpose in Christ's life, death, resurrection, and the establishment of His kingdom. He did not come to abolish the Law but to provide its perfect interpretation, demonstration, and ultimate fulfillment, both morally (by living it perfectly) and propitiously (by bearing its penalty). While the Mosaic covenant has been superseded by the New Covenant in terms of its operational authority for salvation, the underlying divine moral principles and prophetic foreshadowing within the Law remain eternally valid, having found their perfect manifestation and fulfillment in Jesus Christ.