Matthew 5:21 Meaning and Explanation
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus takes up the ancient command against killing and prepares to trace it down to the anger hidden in the heart.
The Context of Matthew 5:21
Jesus is teaching on the mountainside. He has just promised to fulfil the law (verse 17), and now He begins a series of contrasts, each opening with 'Ye have heard.' This is the first, and it sets the pattern: He quotes a command everyone knows, then reaches beneath it.
What Does Matthew 5:21 Mean?
Jesus begins where His hearers feel safe. 'Thou shalt not kill' is one of the ten commandments, words handed down 'by them of old time,' and almost everyone in the crowd could say they had kept it. The one who sheds blood stands in danger of the judgment, the local court that tried such cases. So far this is familiar ground, the law as everyone had been taught it.
But Jesus is only laying the floor. In the verses that follow He lifts the command from the hand to the heart, showing that anger and contempt toward a brother already carry the seed of murder. He is not loosening the law but deepening it, asking for a righteousness that reaches the inside. And He is the One who lives it perfectly, and who can give us a new heart where the old one nursed its grudges.
Matthew 5:21 in the Original Language
phoneuo (φονεύω), 'kill' -- to murder, the unlawful taking of human life, the word used in the commandment.
How to Apply Matthew 5:21 Today
It is easy to feel righteous because our hands are clean, yet Jesus invites us to look deeper, at the anger and contempt we carry toward others. He asks for a heart made new, and He is able to give exactly that to those who come to Him.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 5:21
What does Matthew 5:21 mean?
Jesus takes up the ancient command against killing and prepares to trace it down to the anger hidden in the heart.
What is the context of Matthew 5:21?
Jesus is teaching on the mountainside. He has just promised to fulfil the law (verse 17), and now He begins a series of contrasts, each opening with 'Ye have heard.' This is the first, and it sets the pattern: He quotes a command everyone knows, then reaches beneath it.
How can I apply Matthew 5:21 today?
It is easy to feel righteous because our hands are clean, yet Jesus invites us to look deeper, at the anger and contempt we carry toward others. He asks for a heart made new, and He is able to give exactly that to those who come to Him.