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Matthew 5:39-41

But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Matthew 5:39-41 sits inside this longer paragraph.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

    If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.

    Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    But I saye to you that ye resist not wronge. But whosoever geve the a blowe on thy right cheke tourne to him the other.

    And yf eny man will sue the at the lawe and take awaye thy coote let hym have thy cloocke also.

    And whosoever wyll compell the to goo a myle goo wyth him twayne.

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  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    But I say vnto you, Resist not euill: but whosoeuer shall smite thee on thy right cheeke, turne to him the other also.

    And if any man wil sue thee at the law, and take away thy coate, let him haue thy cloke also.

    And whosoeuer will compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twaine.

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Contradictions (2)

Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.

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Cross-references (19)

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (v39) See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.
  • 1 Peter 3:9 (v39) not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a…
  • Romans 12:17-19 (v39) Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace…
  • Proverbs 20:22 (v39) Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.
  • Luke 6:29-30 (v39) To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. Give to…
Show all 18 cross-references
  • 1 Peter 2:20-23 (v39) For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is…
  • Leviticus 19:18 (v39) “ ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I…
  • Lamentations 3:30 (v39) Let him give his cheek to him who strikes him. Let him be filled full of reproach.
  • Proverbs 24:29 (v39) Don’t say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
  • Luke 6:29 (v40) To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:7 (vv39–40) Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you, that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be…
  • Isaiah 50:6 (v39) I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.
  • 1 Samuel 26:8-10 (v39) Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to…
  • 1 Samuel 24:10-15 (v39) Behold, today your eyes have seen how Yahweh had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you; but I spared you;…
  • Job 31:29-31 (v39) “If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him (yes, I have not allowed my mouth to…
  • Luke 23:26 (v41) When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus.
  • Job 16:10 (v39) They have gaped on me with their mouth. They have struck me on the cheek reproachfully. They gather themselves together against me.
  • James 5:6 (v39) You have condemned and you have murdered the righteous one. He doesn’t resist you.

18 distinct cross-references across this passage (19 total citations).

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (15 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv39–41 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist…

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.

Ver. 39. But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil] For here to resist is to be overcome, saith St Paul, Rom 12:21. And in a matter of strife or disagreement, he hath the worst that carries it, saith St Basil. Yea, Aristotle himself yieldeth, that of the twain it is better to suffer the greatest wrong than to do the least. {a} And it was a heavy challenge and charge upon those carnal Corinthians, that had strife, divisions, and lawsuits among them; "Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren," 1Co 6:7-8. But be not deceived, saith he, to wit, with vain hope of impunity, for God is the avenger of all such as, like the angry bee, care not to sting another, though it be to the loss of their own lives. {b} Besides that, in resisting evil, we give place to the devil, whom if by patience and forbearance we could resist, he would flee from us. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood" (as we think we do, when we conflict with men like ourselves, that have done us injury), "but against principalities and powers," Eph 6:12; q.d. while we are busy in breaking those darts that men shoot from afar against us; we are oppressed by the devil near at hand to us, Eph 4:26. {c} Here, by the way, magistrates must be admonished to take heed how they aggravate punishment upon a malefactor out of private grudge; parents also and masters, how they correct in a rage and fury. For although they be public persons, yet to give correction in a choleric mood is to ease their heart by way of revenge, it is a degree of resisting evil. The tyrant saith, εξεστι μοι, it is in my power to do it; the good governor saith, καθηκει μοι. It concerneth me to do it in point of duty, quoth a philosopher.

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But whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek] Socrates, a heathen, when he had received a box on the ear, answered, What an ill thing is it that men cannot foresee when they should put on a helmet, before they go abroad? {d} And when he was kicked by another, If an ass should kick me, said he, should I spurn him again? But we have those, that professing to be Christians, lest they should seem to he Anabaptists in taking two blows for one, will give two blows for one, yea, for none, sometimes: it is but a word and a blow with them, as it was with Cain, Lamech, Esau, who said, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand, then I will slay my brother Jacob," Gen 27:41. In which words he either threateneth his father (as Luther thinketh) for blessing his brother, q.d. I will be the death of my brother, and so cause my father to mourn: or else he threateneth his brother (as most interpreters sense it) after his father’s head is once laid, without any respect at all to his mother, whom he not so much as mentioneth. He took no great care how she would take it; and his deferring till his father’s death was more out of fear of a curse than conscience of a duty. There are those who read the words by way of a wish, Let the days of mourning for my father draw nigh, &c. And then it is a double parricide. Sure we are, that as concerneth his brother he comforted himself, purposing to kill him. He threatened him, saith the Septuagint (απειλει), Gen 27:42, q.d. I will sit upon his skirts, and be even with him. The nature of ungodly men is vindictive, and rejoicing in other men’s hurt (which is the devil’s disease), especially if provoked by any injury or indignity, as smiting on the cheek. {e} But God will smite them on the cheek bone so hard, as that he will break the teeth of the ungodly; smite them in the hinder parts, where we use to whip froward children, and so put them to a perpetual reproach, Psa 3:7; Psa 78:66. Neither only will he smite upon their loins, but through them, yea, he will crack their crowns, cleave their skulls, wound their hairy scalps, be their locks never so bushy, {f} their looks never so lofty and terrible, that count it courage to turn again and revenge, which every Turk and heathen, nay, every bull and boar, can do. The Lamb of God gave his cheeks to the smiters: so did Michaiah the meek, Job the just, and Paul the patient, Isa 50:6; Joh 18:23; 1Ki 22:24; Job 16:10; Act 23:2-3; yet not so patient, but he could set forth his privilege, when he was to be scourged, and clear his innocence with meekness of wisdom; and so may we, yea, we may safely decline a likely danger, in some cases especially, as our Saviour did. Apud Mahometanos ferunt paucas brevesque lites esse, quod temere litigantes publiae flagellis caedantur.

{a} In rixa, is inferior est qui victor est. α δικεισθαι η αδικειν αυεινον.

{b} Non minus mali est referre iniuriam, quam inferre. Lactant.

{c} Cur adeo laboramus ulciscendis infirmissimorum hominum iniuriis? Dum haec tela eminus proiecta frangimus, a diabolo opprimimur. Roloc. in locum.

{d} Quam molestum est nescire homines quando prodire debeant cum galca?

{e} καν με φαγης επι ριζαν ομως ετι καρποφορησω, οσχον επισπεισαι σοι, τραγε, θυομενω, dixit vitis hirco cum ab eo roderetur. Aesop.

{f} Lacones comam nutriebant ad terrorem.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v39 The apostle Paul giveth the best exposition upon this…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv39–41 But I say unto you, that ye resist not…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv39–40 But I say unto you, that ye resist not…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv39–41 Verse 39. Resist not evil] Or, the evil person.…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv39, 41 Not to resist evil;[6] i.e. not to resist or…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv39–41 But I say unto you, That ye resist not…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv39–41 39. Resist not evil — The word here, resist,…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv39–41 39. resist not evil] i. e. do not seek…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv39–41 (39) Resist not evil.—The Greek, as before in Mat_5:37,…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv39–41 But I say unto you, That ye resist not…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv39–41 39. Resist not evil. Jesus does not forbid the…
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v39 Christ brings out this fact by a few examples:
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v40 General Information:
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v41 5:41 Forced labor was a humiliating fact of Roman…
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