Matthew 5:39

Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

but I -- I say to you, not to resist the evil, but whoever shall slap thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other;

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, Μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ: ἀλλʼ ὅστις σε ῥαπίσει ἐπί τὴν δεξιάν σου σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην.

Transliteration

Egō de legō to-you, Not antistēnai to-the ponērō: but hostis you rapisei upon the dexian of-you siagona, strepson to-him also the allēn.

Grammar Details

• *Egō*: nominative personal pronoun - I
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and
• *legō*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I say/tell
• *antistēnai*: aorist active infinitive - to resist/oppose
• *ponērō*: dative masculine singular - to evil/evil person
• *hostis*: indefinite relative pronoun - whoever
• *rapisei*: future active indicative, 3rd person singular - will slap/strike
• *dexian*: accusative feminine singular - right
• *siagona*: accusative feminine singular - cheek
• *strepson*: aorist active imperative, 2nd person singular - turn!
• *allēn*: accusative feminine singular - other/another

Word Meanings

• *Egō*: I/myself
• *legō*: say/tell/speak
• *antistēnai*: to resist/oppose/stand against
• *ponērō*: evil person/evil one/evil (could be person or abstract)
• *hostis*: whoever/anyone who
• *rapisei*: will slap/strike/hit
• *dexian*: right/right-hand
• *siagona*: cheek/jawbone
• *strepson*: turn/twist/direct
• *allēn*: other/another/different

Referenced Verses

• 1 Cor 6:7 : 7 Already, indeed, then, there is altogether a fault among you, that ye have judgments with one another; wherefore do ye not rather suffer injustice? wherefore be ye not rather defrauded?
• Prov 24:29 : 29 Say not, `As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each according to his work.'
• Isa 50:6 : 6 My back I have given to those smiting, And my cheeks to those plucking out, My face I hid not from shame and spitting.
• Lam 3:30 : 30 He giveth to his smiter the cheek, He is filled with reproach.
• Lev 19:18 : 18 `Thou dost not take vengeance, nor watch the sons of thy people; and thou hast had love to thy neighbour as thyself; I `am' Jehovah.
• 1 Sam 26:8-9 : 8 And Abishai saith unto David, `God hath shut up to-day thine enemy into thy hand; and, now, let me smite him, I pray thee, with a spear, even into the earth at once -- and I do repeat `it' to him.' 9 And David saith unto Abishai, `Destroy him not; for who hath put forth his hand against the anointed of Jehovah, and been acquitted?' 10 And David saith, `Jehovah liveth; except Jehovah doth smite him, or his day come that he hath died, or into battle he go down, and hath been consumed --
• 1 Pet 3:9 : 9 not giving back evil for evil, or railing for railing, and on the contrary, blessing, having known that to this ye were called, that a blessing ye may inherit;
• 1 Kgs 22:24 : 24 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah draweth nigh, and smiteth Micaiah on the cheek, and saith, `Where `is' this -- he hath passed over -- the Spirit of Jehovah -- from me to speak with thee?'
• 1 Sam 24:10-15 : 10 Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and `one' said to slay thee, and `mine eye' hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he `is'. 11 `And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it! 12 `Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee; 13 as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee. 14 `After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? -- after a dead dog! after one flea! 15 And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.'
• 1 Sam 25:31-34 : 31 that this is not to thee for a stumbling-block, and for an offence of heart to my lord -- either to shed blood for nought, or my lord's restraining himself; and Jehovah hath done good to my lord, and thou hast remembered thy handmaid.' 32 And David saith to Abigail, `Blessed `is' Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day to meet me, 33 and blessed `is' thy discretion, and blessed `art' thou in that thou hast restrained me this day from coming in with blood, and to restrain my hand to myself. 34 And yet, Jehovah liveth, God of Israel, who hath kept me back from doing evil with thee, for unless thou hadst hasted, and dost come to meet me, surely there had not been left to Nabal till the light of the morning, of those sitting on the wall.'
• 1 Thess 5:15 : 15 see no one evil for evil may render to any one, but always that which is good pursue ye, both to one another and to all;
• Jas 5:6 : 6 ye did condemn -- ye did murder the righteous one, he doth not resist you.
• 1 Pet 2:20-23 : 20 for what renown `is it', if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure `it'? but if, doing good and suffering `for it', ye do endure, this `is' gracious with God, 21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, 22 who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, 23 who being reviled -- was not reviling again, suffering -- was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously,
• Job 31:29-31 : 29 If I rejoice at the ruin of my hater, And stirred up myself when evil found him, 30 Yea, I have not suffered my mouth to sin, To ask with an oath his life. 31 If not -- say ye, O men of my tent, `O that we had of his flesh, we are not satisfied.'
• Prov 20:22 : 22 Do not say, `I recompense evil,' Wait for Jehovah, and He delivereth thee.
• Luke 6:29-30 : 29 and to him smiting thee upon the cheek, give also the other, and from him taking away from thee the mantle, also the coat thou mayest not keep back. 30 `And to every one who is asking of thee, be giving; and from him who is taking away thy goods, be not asking again;
• Luke 22:64 : 64 and having blindfolded him, they were striking him on the face, and were questioning him, saying, `Prophesy who he is who smote thee?'
• Rom 12:17-19 : 17 giving back to no one evil for evil; providing right things before all men. 18 If possible -- so far as in you -- with all men being in peace; 19 not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to the wrath, for it hath been written, `Vengeance `is' Mine,
• Heb 12:4 : 4 Not yet unto blood did ye resist -- with the sin striving;
• Job 16:10 : 10 They have gaped on me with their mouth, In reproach they have smitten my cheeks, Together against me they set themselves.
• Mic 5:1 : 1 Now gather thyself together, O daughter of troops, A siege he hath laid against us, With a rod they smite on the cheek the judge of Israel.