Teaching on Adultery and Lust
Matthew 5:27-30
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
Jude
Revelation
Matt.5.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ηκουσατε: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- ερρεθη·Ου: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- μοιχευσεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
Parallels
- Exodus 20:14 (quotation): The original Ten Commandments statement: 'You shall not commit adultery,' which Jesus is citing here.
- Deuteronomy 5:18 (quotation): Repetition of the Decalogue in Deuteronomy, restating the prohibition against adultery that Jesus references.
- Matthew 5:28 (structural): Immediate antithesis within the Sermon on the Mount — Jesus expands the commandment's meaning to include lust of the heart.
- Matthew 19:18 (quotation): Jesus quotes the same commandment when responding to the rich young man, reiterating 'You shall not commit adultery' in a narrative context.
- Mark 10:19 (quotation): Parallel to Matthew 19:18 (synoptic parallel) where Jesus lists the commandments, including the prohibition against adultery.
Alternative generated candidates
- You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ and ‘Whoever commits adultery shall be liable to judgment.’
- You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
Matt.5.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εγω: PRON,nom,sg,1
- δε: CONJ
- λεγω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- οτι: CONJ
- πας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- βλεπων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- γυναικα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- προς: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- επιθυμησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- αυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
- ηδη: ADV
- εμοιχευσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- καρδια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matt.5:27 (structural): Immediate context: Jesus first prohibits outward adultery (v.27) and then intensifies the law by treating lustful looking as adultery in the heart (v.28).
- Job 31:1 (allusion): Job's declaration 'I made a covenant with my eyes' parallels the concern to control the gaze and avoid desire, resonating with Jesus' prohibition of looking to lust.
- Proverbs 6:25 (verbal): 'Do not lust after her beauty in your heart' echoes Matthew's language about inward desire ('in his heart') and warns against internal lust that leads to sin.
- 2 Samuel 11:2-4 (thematic): David's seeing Bathsheba, ensuing lust, and subsequent adultery illustrates how a look of desire can lead to actual sexual sin, exemplifying Jesus' moral point.
- James 1:14-15 (thematic): James traces sin's origin to inward desire ('each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire'), paralleling Matthew's emphasis that internal lust constitutes moral culpability.
Alternative generated candidates
- But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matt.5.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- οφθαλμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δεξιος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- σκανδαλιζει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- σε: PRON,acc,sg,m
- εξελε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- βαλε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- απο: PREP
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- συμφερει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- γαρ: PART
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- ινα: CONJ
- αποληται: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- μελων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- ολον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- σωμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- βληθη: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- γεενναν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Mark 9:43-47 (verbal): Almost identical saying in Mark: cut off hand/foot/eye rather than be thrown into Gehenna; shares the same hyperbolic language and theological point about loss of a member vs. whole-person destruction.
- Matt.5:30 (structural): Immediate companion verse within the same antithesis addressing the foot; together 5:29–30 form a paired unit advocating radical removal of offending members.
- Matt.18:8-9 (verbal): A parallel formulation elsewhere in Matthew urging removal of members that cause sin to avoid being cast into Gehenna—applies the same hyperbolic remedy in the context of communal/disciplinary teaching.
- Matt.10:28 (thematic): Speaks of fearing God who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna; thematically linked by concern over ultimate destruction in Gehenna and the priority of avoiding final judgment even at great personal cost.
Alternative generated candidates
- If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna.
- If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna of fire.
Matt.5.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δεξια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- χειρ: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- σκανδαλιζει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- σε: PRON,acc,sg,m
- εκκοψον: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- αυτην: PRON,acc,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- βαλε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- απο: PREP
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- συμφερει: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- γαρ: PART
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- ινα: CONJ
- αποληται: VERB,aor,mid,sub,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,f
- μελων: NOUN,gen,pl,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- ολον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- σωμα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- εις: PREP
- γεενναν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- απελθη: VERB,aor,mid,sub,3,sg
Parallels
- Matt.5.29 (verbal): Immediate parallel in the Sermon on the Mount: identical hyperbolic instruction about gouging out the eye if it causes you to sin, parallel form and logic.
- Mark 9:43-47 (quotation): Near-verbatim parallel in Mark: same series of commands to cut off hand, foot, pluck out eye to avoid Gehenna; preserves the same imagery and admonition.
- Matt.18:8-9 (verbal): Parallel teaching elsewhere in Matthew addressing scandal and radical removal of offending members, repeating the imagery of cutting off limbs and Gehenna.
- Luke 17:1-2 (thematic): Thematic parallel about stumbling blocks and the seriousness of causing others to sin; emphasizes the need to avoid scandal even at great cost.
- Colossians 3:5 (thematic): New Testament ethical parallel advocating decisive action against bodily passions ('put to death' bodily members) to prevent sin—similar radical ethic of dealing with sin's sources.
Alternative generated candidates
- And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body go into Gehenna.
- And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna of fire.
You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna of fire. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna of fire.