Matthew 5 48

Matthew 5:48 kjv

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 nkjv

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 niv

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 esv

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 nlt

But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5 verses

Matthew 5 48 Meaning

Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect," serves as the culmination and capstone of Jesus' ethical teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, particularly the "You have heard... But I say to you" antitheses. It calls believers to emulate the complete, impartial, and unrestricted character of God, especially in love and goodness towards all, including enemies. The perfection spoken of here is not sinless impeccability, but rather moral maturity, completeness, and wholeness of character, particularly in love that mirrors God's all-encompassing grace shown even to the unrighteous.

Matthew 5 48 Context

Matthew 5:48 stands as the powerful conclusion to the six "antitheses" in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-48), where Jesus reinterprets the Mosaic Law, pushing His disciples beyond mere external observance to an internal, spiritual righteousness that exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). Specifically, this verse immediately follows Jesus' teaching on loving enemies (Matthew 5:43-47), which culminates in the injunction to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:44-45). The context highlights God's universal, indiscriminate goodness—He causes the sun to rise and rain to fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous. Jesus' call to perfection is thus fundamentally linked to emulating God's boundless love and mercy, not just towards those who love you back, but universally. The historical and cultural context includes a Jewish society that valued reciprocal relationships ("an eye for an eye") and identified righteousness with meticulous adherence to the Law, often in its narrowest interpretation. Jesus presents a radical alternative, challenging a "limited" ethic with an ethic modeled after God's own expansive nature.

Matthew 5 48 Word analysis

• Be: The Greek verb here is ἔσεσθε (esesthe), an imperative future tense form of εἰμί (eimi), meaning "to be." It's a command, not a suggestion, indicating a continuous striving or ongoing process rather than a static state to be achieved instantly. It implies a demand for spiritual growth and progress.
• perfect: The Greek word is τέλειος (teleios). This term is crucial. It does not primarily mean "sinless" or "flawless" in the sense of moral impeccability (as often understood today). Instead, its root τέλος (telos) means "end, goal, completion, consummation." Therefore, teleios means "complete, mature, fully developed, whole, adequate for its purpose, brought to its proper end." In this ethical context, it means completeness or wholeness of character, maturity, fully manifesting God's will, especially in love. It is about a consistent character, rather than the absence of every single fault.
• therefore: The Greek conjunction οὖν (oun) introduces a logical consequence. This command directly follows, and is the theological and ethical conclusion of, all the preceding radical demands concerning true righteousness, especially the love of enemies. It ties the concept of perfection to the preceding examples of God's universal love and generosity (e.g., sending rain on the just and unjust).
• as: The Greek word ὡς (hōs) indicates comparison and standard. The perfection commanded of believers is to be "like" or "after the pattern" of God's perfection. It means God's complete and boundless character serves as the supreme model for human character development. It is an invitation to imitation, not to becoming equivalent to God.
• your heavenly Father: Emphasizes the relational aspect. God is not just a distant deity, but a Father who provides the standard and example. This relational term highlights accessibility and the family resemblance. "Heavenly" denotes His divine nature and ultimate perfection, distinct from any earthly parent.
• is perfect: The Greek ἐστιν τέλειος (estin teleios), present tense, emphasizes God's abiding, unchanging character of completeness and maturity. He IS complete, entire, full in all His attributes, particularly in His goodness and impartial love. This divine standard sets an achievable trajectory, though ultimate absolute perfection remains God's alone.

Words-group analysis:

• "Be perfect, therefore": This phrase functions as a summative command. It encapsulates the core demand of Jesus' teaching on radical righteousness in Matthew 5. The "therefore" points back to the preceding discussions, especially the expansive nature of God's love illustrated by His care for both the righteous and the unrighteous. The call to be teleios means striving for completeness in displaying divine character.
• "as your heavenly Father is perfect": This clause sets the ultimate model and motivation. It implies that true discipleship involves imitating the very nature of God, especially in the quality of love demonstrated in the preceding verses. The standard is divine, but the call is to human capacity empowered by faith and relationship with this heavenly Father. It acknowledges that human perfection is always relative to God's absolute perfection, but nevertheless, God's nature is the goal for believers.

Matthew 5 48 Bonus section

The Greek word teleios also appears in other significant contexts. In the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), it translates the Hebrew word tamim which can mean "blameless," "whole," "complete," or "sincere" (e.g., in Gen 17:1, Deut 18:13 where Abraham and Israel are commanded to be tamim before God). This further underscores the interpretation of "perfection" as ethical completeness and integrity, not an absence of any possible fault or sin. While humans can never achieve God's absolute and infinite perfection, they are called to live a life characterized by a mature, integrated, and all-encompassing love and obedience that fully embraces their divine calling. This is an aspirational standard, urging continuous spiritual formation. It also signifies that our obedience and love should not be compartmentalized or incomplete but should aim at the fullness and wholeness seen in the divine character.

Matthew 5 48 Commentary

Matthew 5:48 is a pinnacle teaching, encapsulating Jesus' ethical demands. It clarifies that true righteousness for the follower of Christ is not merely legalistic adherence or moral outward appearance, but an inward transformation that results in a character wholeness mirroring God's own. The "perfection" (teleios) called for is mature and complete goodness, especially manifest in unrestricted, active love (agape) towards all, echoing God's indiscriminate grace on both righteous and unrighteous. This verse sets a lifelong goal, inviting believers into an ongoing process of growth and conformity to God's image, particularly His mercy and universal benevolence. It pushes against a self-centered or limited view of love, calling disciples to a divine standard of character where even those who oppose us are embraced by our benevolence, reflecting our Heavenly Father. This is not about sinless flawlessness, but about completeness and sincerity in one's devotion and moral expression, striving towards full spiritual maturity. For instance, in practical usage, it means forgiving an enemy not just seven times, but seventy-seven times; going the extra mile not just for friends, but also for those who take advantage; and praying for those who persecute, reflecting God's nature that blesses even those who do not acknowledge Him. It is about aligning one's deepest affections and actions with the boundless character of God.