Matthew 5:20

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, Ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ὑμῶν πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.

Transliteration

Legō gar to-you, That ean not perisseusē the dikaiosynē of-you pleion of-the grammateōn and Pharisaiōn, not not eiselthēte into the basileian of-the ouranōn.

Grammar Details

• *Legō*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I say/tell
• *gar*: postpositive conjunction - for/because
• *ean*: conditional conjunction - if
• *perisseusē*: aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular - might exceed/abound
• *dikaiosynē*: nominative feminine singular - righteousness
• *pleion*: nominative neuter comparative - more than
• *grammateōn*: genitive masculine plural - of scribes
• *Pharisaiōn*: genitive masculine plural - of Pharisees
• *eiselthēte*: aorist active subjunctive, 2nd person plural - you might enter
• *basileian*: accusative feminine singular - kingdom
• *ouranōn*: genitive masculine plural - of heavens

Word Meanings

• *Legō*: say/tell/speak
• *perisseusē*: exceed/abound/surpass
• *dikaiosynē*: righteousness/justice/uprightness
• *pleion*: more than/greater than
• *grammateōn*: scribes/scholars of the law
• *Pharisaiōn*: Pharisees (Jewish religious group)
• *eiselthēte*: enter/go in
• *basileian*: kingdom/reign/rule
• *ouranōn*: heavens/skies

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For{G1063} I say{G3004} unto you,{G5213} that{G3754} except{G1437} your{G5216} righteousness{G1343} shall exceed{G4052} [the]{G4119} [righteousness]{G1343} of the scribes{G1122} and{G2532} Pharisees,{G5330} ye shall{G1525} in no{G3756} wise{G3361} enter{G1525} into{G1519} the kingdom{G932} of heaven.{G3772}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For{G1063} I say{G3004}{(G5719)} unto you{G5213}, That{G3754} except{G3362} your{G5216} righteousness{G1343} shall exceed{G4052}{(G5661)}{G4119} the righteousness of the scribes{G1122} and{G2532} Pharisees{G5330}, ye shall in no case{G3364} enter{G1525}{(G5632)} into{G1519} the kingdom{G932} of heaven{G3772}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  For I saye vnto you except youre rightewesnes excede the righetewesnes of ye Scribes and Pharises ye canot entre into ye kyngdome of heven.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  For I saye vnto you: excepte youre rightewesnes exceade the righetewesnes of the Scribes and Pharises, ye can not entre in to the kyngdome of heauen.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For I say vnto you, except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises, ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For I say vnto you: except your righteousnes, excede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kyngdome of heauen.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ‹For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed› [the righteousness] ‹of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed `the righteousness' of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For I say to you, If your righteousness is not greater than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never go into the kingdom of heaven.

• World English Bible (2000)

  For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!

Referenced Verses

• John 3:3-5 : 3 Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I tell you, unless someone is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' 4 Nicodemus said to Him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?' 5 Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'
• Rom 10:2-3 : 2 I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but it is not based on true knowledge. 3 For they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and seek to establish their own; they have not submitted to God’s righteousness.
• Phil 3:9 : 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
• Heb 12:14 : 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
• Luke 16:14-15 : 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and sneered at him. 15 Jesus said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight."
• Luke 18:24-25 : 24 Seeing that he had become sad, Jesus said, 'How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!' 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
• Luke 18:10-14 : 10 'Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.' 11 'The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.' 12 'I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 'But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven but beat his chest and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 'I tell you that this man went home justified before God rather than the other. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'
• Luke 18:17 : 17 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will certainly not enter it.
• 2 Cor 5:17 : 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
• Rom 9:30-32 : 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, did not attain it. 32 Why not? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stone of stumbling,
• Matt 3:10 : 10 Even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
• Matt 7:21 : 21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
• Matt 18:5 : 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
• Matt 23:2-5 : 2 saying, 'The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat of authority. 3 So do and observe whatever they tell you, but do not do as they do, for they say things but do not practice them. 4 They tie up heavy and unbearable burdens, and place them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. They make their phylacteries broad and their tassels long.
• Matt 23:23-28 : 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint, dill, and cumin but have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may also become clean. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all impurity. 28 So too, on the outside you appear righteous to people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
• Mark 10:15 : 15 'Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'
• Mark 10:25 : 25 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.'
• Luke 11:39-40 : 39 Then the Lord said to him, 'Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not the one who made the outside also make the inside?
• Luke 11:44 : 44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like unmarked graves that people walk over without knowing.
• Luke 12:1 : 1 Meanwhile, when thousands of people had gathered together, to the point of trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."
• Rev 21:27 : 27 Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
• Luke 20:46-47 : 46 'Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, love respectful greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and make long prayers for appearance’s sake. These will receive a greater condemnation.