But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just saying to avoid lying in oaths, but to avoid the very act of swearing by lesser things like heaven or earth. The reason is that these elements are intrinsically linked to God, so swearing by them is still, in essence, invoking Him, making them indirect ways of using His name lightly, just like swearing by Him directly.
But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is continuing His sermon on the Mount, explaining how His followers should live out God's law in a way that goes deeper than mere outward obedience. He's correcting the common misinterpretations of the Old Testament law held by the religious leaders of His day, showing that true righteousness involves the heart and inner disposition. He's already addressed anger and lust, and now He's tackling oaths, revealing how the casual and even technically "valid" oaths of His listeners fall short of God's true intent.
Why would Jesus forbid all oaths? It seems so absolute, doesn't it? He wasn't just setting a rule; he was revealing something deep about human sincerity.
Jesus isn't abolishing the Old Testament law about oaths; he's getting to its core meaning.
Beyond Perjury
The Jewish leaders had twisted the law. They focused only on avoiding false oaths (perjury) while allowing casual, even profane, oaths by things associated with God (like heaven or earth). They thought if they didn't explicitly swear by God's name, they were off the hook.
The Divine Implication
Jesus points out that swearing by heaven is swearing by God's throne. Swearing by the earth is swearing by God's footstool. Swearing by Jerusalem is swearing by the city of the Great King. Even swearing by your own head implies a reliance on God, the giver of life. These things point to God's ultimate authority and presence.
The Real Issue: Sincerity
Jesus' point is that these kinds of oaths were a shortcut for people who weren't sincere. If your word is naturally trustworthy, you don't need to invoke heaven or earth to back it up. The casual oath, even if not technically perjury, reveals a lack of integrity.
Ask a follow-up
If casual oaths are out, what's the alternative? Jesus doesn't leave us hanging; he offers a way to live that makes oaths unnecessary.
Jesus' teaching here isn't about destruction, but about fulfillment. He's calling us to a higher standard of integrity.
The Ideal: Radical Simplicity
Jesus presents the ideal: 'Let what you say be simply 'Yes,' if you mean yes, and 'No,' if you mean no.' This isn't just about being truthful; it's about being so consistently honest and reliable that your word is always good.
The Source of the Problem
He explains that the need for oaths arises 'from evil' – from the prevalent dishonesty, deception, and unreliability in human interactions. Because people don't trust each other, they feel the need for oaths to guarantee truth.
Living the Fulfillment
By calling us to simple, direct, and truthful speech, Jesus fulfills the spirit of the law. He calls us to embody the trustworthiness that the law always pointed towards, creating a community where sincerity is the norm, not the exception.
Understand the original words
ouranos · Greek Noun
The realm of God's dwelling and the seat of His cosmic authority, often used to signify God’s transcendence.
thronos · Greek Noun
A seat of honor and royal dignity representing the authority, judgment, and majesty of a sovereign ruler.
c. 1500 BC - 400 BC
Old Testament Law and Practices
The Old Testament law, while prohibiting the taking of God's name in vain (Exodus 20:7), also prescribed and permitted the use of oaths in specific contexts, often invoking God's name as a seal of truth (Deuteronomy 6:13).
c. 1st Century BC - 1st Century AD— this verse
Jewish Oath-Taking Customs
During Jesus' time, common Jewish practice included oaths by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or even one's own head. This was often done to circumvent the prohibition against swearing directly by God's name, but it resulted in a frivolous and irreverent use of oaths.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount, teaching his disciples a higher standard of righteousness that includes abstaining from all forms of oath-taking, emphasizing sincerity and truthfulness in everyday speech.
c. AD 50-60
Apostolic Teaching on Oaths
The New Testament epistles reflect on the nature of oaths. James (5:12) reiterates Christ's teaching, while Paul, in certain contexts, uses forms of oath-like affirmation to attest to the truth of his statements, suggesting a nuanced understanding beyond a literal prohibition in all circumstances.
This passage from James directly echoes Jesus' teaching, stating 'But above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth—or by any other oath.' It reinforces the idea that avoiding oaths altogether is the ideal.
Deuteronomy 6:13This Old Testament verse commands, 'It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by His name you shall swear.' This highlights that the proper object of an oath, when one is necessary, is God alone, which is contrasted with Jesus' prohibition of swearing by created things.
Matthew 23:16-22In this passage, Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees' misuse of oaths, showing how they tried to bypass vows made by God's name by swearing by the temple, by gold, or by heaven. This further illustrates the problem Jesus is addressing in Matthew 5:34 – the avoidance of true commitment by using loopholes.
Isaiah 66:1This verse, which Jesus alludes to, says 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.' By referencing this, Jesus emphasizes that heaven and earth are intrinsically linked to God's majesty and authority, making oaths by them a veiled reference to God Himself, and thus not a way to circumvent His authority.
barnesMatthew 5:34: "But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:"
But I say unto you, Swear not at all - That is, in the manner which he proceeds to specify. Swear not in any of the common and profane ways customary at that time. By heaven; for it is God's throne - To swear by that was, if it meant anything, to swear by Him that sitteth thereon, Matthew 23:22. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool - Swearing by that, therefore, is really swearing by God. Or pe…
calvinMatthew 5:33-37: "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:"
- Again, ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not perjure thyself: but thou shalt perform to the Lord what thou hast sworn. 34. But I charge you, swear not at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God: 35. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King…
Jesus isn't just saying to avoid lying in oaths, but to avoid the very act of swearing by lesser things like heaven or earth. The reason is that these elements are intrinsically linked to God, so swearing by them is still, in essence, invoking Him, making them indirect ways of using His name lightly, just like swearing by Him directly.
Jesus is continuing His sermon on the Mount, explaining how His followers should live out God's law in a way that goes deeper than mere outward obedience. He's correcting the common misinterpretations of the Old Testament law held by the religious leaders of His day, showing that true righteousness involves the heart and inner disposition. He's already addressed anger and lust, and now He's tackling oaths, revealing how the casual and even technically "valid" oaths of His listeners fall short of God's true intent.
Jesus is continuing His sermon on the Mount, explaining how His followers should live out God's law in a way that goes deeper than mere outward obedience. He's correcting the common misinterpretations of the Old Testament law held by the religious leaders of His day, showing that true righteousness involves the heart and inner disposition. He's already addressed anger and lust, and now He's tackling oaths, revealing how the casual and even technically "valid" oaths of His listeners fall short of God's true intent.
"But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God," — Jesus isn't just saying to avoid lying in oaths, but to avoid the very act of swearing by lesser things like heaven or earth. The reason is that these elements are intrinsically linked to God, so…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026