Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Verse Takeaways
1
Complete, Not Sinless
Commentators agree that "perfect" (teleios) does not mean immediately becoming sinless. Instead, it means complete, mature, or whole. In context, Jesus is calling for a love that is complete—one that extends not just to friends but also to enemies. This wholeness of character, particularly in love, is the goal we are to strive for.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Matthew
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
12
18th Century
Presbyterian
Be ye therefore perfect, he concludes this part of the discourse by commanding his disciples to be perfect.
This word comm…
Perfect (τελειο). The word comes from τελος, end, goal, limit. Here it is the goal set before us, the absolute standard of our Hea…
19th Century
Anglican
Be ye therefore perfect — Literally, You therefore shall be perfect — the ideal future that implies an imperativ…
Consider supporting our work
Baptist
Do not even the publicans do the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the publicans do so? …
It is best to understand v.48 as the conclusion to all the antitheses. The OT background to this verse is Lev 19:2, with “holy” displaced by “perfe…
16th Century
Protestant
You shall therefore be perfect. This perfection does not mean equality, but relates solely to resemblance.423…
Get curated content & updates
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Be you therefore perfect, as your Father This perfection is to be restrained to the subject Christ is upon, love to …
The Jewish teachers understood —neighbor' to mean only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they regarded as their frien…
13th Century
Catholic
You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor. Above, the Lord fulfilled the Law concerning permissi…
