Matthew 5 27

Matthew 5:27 kjv

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Matthew 5:27 nkjv

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

Matthew 5:27 niv

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

Matthew 5:27 esv

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

Matthew 5:27 nlt

"You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.'

Matthew 5 verses

Matthew 5 27 Meaning

Matthew 5:27 introduces Jesus's re-interpretation of the Seventh Commandment from the Mosaic Law. In this verse, Jesus acknowledges the well-known prohibition against the physical act of adultery, setting the stage for His subsequent teaching that expands the Law's application to the thoughts and intentions of the human heart. This highlights His authority to reveal the deeper, spiritual demands of God's righteousness, moving beyond mere external obedience.

Matthew 5 27 Context

Matthew 5:27 is situated within the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5-7), Jesus’s most significant discourse on discipleship and the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. Specifically, it forms part of a series of "You have heard that it was said... But I say to you" antitheses (Mat 5:21-48), where Jesus unpacks the Mosaic Law. In this section, Jesus does not abolish the Law but fulfills and intensifies it, revealing its profound spiritual demand beyond mere outward compliance. By addressing the prohibition against adultery, He challenges the common Jewish understanding, which likely focused on the external act alone, setting the stage to reveal the deeper, heart-level sin of lust. His teaching here underscores His authority as the one who fully understands and perfectly reveals God’s will, a profound contrast to the interpretations offered by contemporary scribes and Pharisees.

Matthew 5 27 Word analysis

• Ye have heard: (Ēkousate, ἀκούσατε) - This phrase points to the common, traditional understanding of the Law that Jesus's audience had received. It refers to a public and customary teaching, likely through synagogue readings of the Torah and subsequent rabbinic interpretations passed down over generations. The Greek aorist tense suggests a completed past action of hearing.

• that it was said: (hoti errethē, ὅτι ἐρρέθη) - The Greek verb is in the aorist passive voice, indicating that something was spoken or declared by an unstated agent, which implicitly is God (via Moses and the prophets). This phrase emphasizes the authoritative origin of the commandment itself, not merely its human transmission.

• by them of old time: (tois archaiois, τοῖς ἀρχαίοις) - Literally "to the ancients" or "to those of old." This refers to the original recipients of the Law, specifically the Israelites at Mount Sinai when the Ten Commandments were given, or perhaps more broadly to the revered ancestral figures and the traditional interpretations derived from them. Jesus isn't invalidating the Law given to them but critiquing the narrow, external focus of how it was often taught and lived out by subsequent generations.

• Thou shalt not commit adultery: (Ou moicheuseis, οὐ μοιχεύσεις) - This is a direct quote from the Seventh Commandment found in the Decalogue (Exo 20:14, Deut 5:18). It is a clear and unequivocal prohibition against sexual infidelity within the covenant of marriage. The Greek verb moicheuo specifically denotes sexual relations between a married person and someone other than their spouse, striking at the sanctity of marriage and family life.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time": This entire phrase sets up a deliberate contrast. Jesus acknowledges the traditional teaching of the Mosaic Law ("what was said"), validating its divine origin, but He also implies that the prevailing understanding ("by them of old time" and implicitly, their current interpreters) might be incomplete or have missed its deeper essence. This immediately signals to the listeners that Jesus is not contradicting the Law but is about to reveal its true and fuller demand.

  • "Thou shalt not commit adultery": This familiar prohibition, while seemingly straightforward, is purposefully presented as an external act. Jesus quotes it exactly to demonstrate that He respects the written Law, but then immediately pivots (in Mat 5:28) to show that God's demand for righteousness extends far beyond merely refraining from the outward transgression, encompassing the hidden desires of the heart.

Matthew 5 27 Bonus section

• The structure of Jesus's teaching ("You have heard... But I say to you") indicates His divine authority, which surpasses that of any prophet or traditional interpreter of the Law. He is not merely explaining the Law but embodying it and revealing its ultimate, God-intended meaning.
• By focusing on the "heart," Jesus anticipates the New Covenant promise (Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10) where God's law would be written not on tablets of stone, but on the hearts and minds of His people.
• This specific teaching lays the groundwork for the understanding that the law's true fulfillment lies in love—love for God and love for neighbor (Mat 22:37-40), which prohibits both the outward act and the inward desire that would harm these relationships.

Matthew 5 27 Commentary

Matthew 5:27 serves as the entryway to Jesus's profound reinterpretation of the Seventh Commandment. By reciting the familiar prohibition against adultery, Jesus validates the eternal truth of God's Law as given at Sinai. However, His primary purpose here is not simply to affirm the physical prohibition, but to demonstrate that true obedience and righteousness must originate from within the heart, rather than being confined to outward actions alone. This verse prepares the hearer for the radical depth of the Kingdom's demands, which require more than just external conformity. Jesus exposes the common tendency to view the Law superficially, urging a shift from mere legality to a purity of mind and heart. He teaches that sin against God's holy standard encompasses more than just overt acts; it includes the corrupt desires and intentions from which those acts spring. This passage reveals that God desires complete fidelity, both in deed and thought, from His people.