Matthew 5:20

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.

📖 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

Referenced Verses

• John 3:3-5 : 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
• Rom 10:2-3 : 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
• Phil 3:9 : 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
• Heb 12:14 : 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
• Luke 16:14-15 : 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
• Luke 18:24-25 : 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
• Luke 18:10-14 : 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
• Luke 18:17 : 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
• 2 Cor 5:17 : 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
• Rom 9:30-32 : 30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
• Matt 3:10 : 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
• Matt 7:21 : 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
• Matt 18:5 : 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
• Matt 23:2-5 : 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
• Matt 23:23-28 : 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
• Mark 10:15 : 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
• Mark 10:25 : 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
• Luke 11:39-40 : 39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. 40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
• Luke 11:44 : 44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
• Luke 12:1 : 1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
• Rev 21:27 : 27 And the shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which a written in the Lamb's book of life.
• Luke 20:46-47 : 46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.