King James Version

What Does Matthew 5:37 Mean?

“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”

Context

Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool : neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

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.

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(37) **Let your communication.**—One of the few instances in which our translators seem to have preferred a somewhat pedantic Latin word for the more literal and homely English *speech.* (Comp. Luke 24:17.) **Yea, yea.**—St. James reproduces the precept in James 5:12 of his Epistle, but the phrase is found in the Talmud, and was probably proverbial. In all common speech a man’s words should be as good as his oath. Yes should mean yes, and No should mean no, even though there be no oath to strengthen it. **Cometh of evil.**—The Greek may (as in the Lord’s Prayer, “Deliver us from evil”) be either neuter, “from evil in the abstract,” or masculine, “from the evil one.” With some hesitation, and guided chiefly by Matthew 13:19-38, I accept the latter as the more probable. These devices of fantastic oaths come not from Him who is the Truth, but from him who “when he speaketh a lie, speaketh of his own” (John 8:44).

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Matthew. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Matthew 5:37 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.