Matthew 5:38-40
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Jesus is quoting a common phrase derived from Old Testament law, but the religious leaders of his day had twisted it. They used this principle of "an eye for an eye" to justify personal revenge, rather than the restorative justice the law originally intended for magistrates.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is continuing His Sermon on the Mount, shifting from the laws of murder and adultery to address violence and retaliation. He's quoting a well-known principle from the Old Testament law, which was originally intended to regulate judicial punishments by magistrates, but which the religious leaders of His day had twisted into justification for personal revenge.
That familiar phrase, 'an eye for an eye,' sounds harsh and unforgiving. But what was its original purpose, and how did people get it so wrong?
Jesus quotes a principle from the Old Testament Law: 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' This was originally part of the lex talionis, or the law of retaliation, found in books like Exodus and Leviticus.
The Law's Intent
The Misinterpretation
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Jesus doesn't just point out a problem; He offers a radical solution. What does it truly mean to 'not resist evil'?
Jesus immediately contrasts the distorted understanding of 'an eye for an eye' with His own teaching: 'But I say to you...' This sets up a higher standard.
Resisting Evil vs. Resisting the Evil Person
The Greater Good
Understand the original words
ophthalmos · Greek Noun
The organ of physical sight, frequently used in biblical imagery to represent spiritual perception, desire, or the legal principle of proportional retribution (lex talionis).
odous · Greek Noun
A part of the body used in legal contexts within the Old Testament law to illustrate the principle of equivalent justice and fair compensation for injuries.
anthistēmi · Greek Verb
To set oneself against, withstand, or oppose. In a legal or personal sense, it refers to standing against an adversary or taking up a defensive position.
rhapizō · Greek Verb
To strike with the palm of the hand. Culturally, this was often an act of personal insult, social shaming, or contempt rather than an attempt to cause severe physical injury.
siagōn · Greek Noun
Part of the face; being struck on the cheek in the ancient world was a profound symbol of public humiliation and the loss of personal honor.
krinō · Greek Verb (Passive in context)
To go to law, bring a legal action, or seek a judicial decision. It involves the process of reaching a verdict or settling a dispute through an authority figure.
chitōn · Greek Noun
An inner garment worn next to the skin, similar to a shirt or tunic. It was a basic component of daily attire in the ancient Near East.
himation · Greek Noun
The outer garment or robe, which served as protection from the elements and a blanket at night. Mosaic law protected the cloak as an essential possession that could not be kept as a pledge overnight.
The Old Testament's 'eye for an eye' was a judicial limit on retribution, not a license for personal revenge. Jesus confronts the common misinterpretation by the religious leaders of his day, who had twisted this law to justify their own vengeful impulses.
c. 1440 BC
The Law of Retaliation Given
In the Book of Exodus, God gives the 'lex talionis' (law of retaliation) as a judicial principle to regulate punishment, ensuring it's proportionate to the crime.
c. 1400 BC
Law of Proportionality in Leviticus
The principle of 'eye for an eye' is reiterated in Leviticus, emphasizing its role in ensuring justice is applied fairly and with restraint.
c. 1400 BC
Law Against Vengeance Given
In Leviticus, God also commands the Israelites, 'You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the people of your kindred,' highlighting a broader ethical framework.
c. 700 BC
Proverb Against Vengeance
The book of Proverbs cautions against seeking personal revenge, stating, 'Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.'
c. 600 BC
Judicial Law for False Witnesses
Deuteronomy applies the 'eye for an eye' principle specifically to false witnesses, reinforcing its judicial, not personal, application.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers his most famous sermon, including the antithesis 'You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye…’,' directly addressing the misapplication of the Law.
This is the Old Testament passage Jesus is quoting, showing the original judicial intent of the 'eye for an eye' principle as a limit on punishment by magistrates, not a license for personal revenge.
Leviticus 19:18This passage, which also comes from the Law, directly commands against personal vengeance, highlighting the contrast Jesus is drawing between the Law's broader intent and the people's misinterpretation.
Romans 12:17-21Paul echoes Jesus' teaching here, encouraging believers to overcome evil with good, rather than retaliating, reinforcing the New Testament's emphasis on a non-vindictive response to wrongdoing.
1 Corinthians 6:7This verse directly addresses the Corinthian believers' tendency to sue one another, urging them to bear wrong rather than take each other to court, which is a practical application of Jesus' teaching on not resisting evil.
clarkeMatthew 5:38: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:"
An eye for an eye - Our Lord refers here to the law of retaliation mentioned See Exodus 21:24 , (see the note there, and see Leviticus 24:20 (note)), which obliged the offender to suffer the same injury he had committed. The Greeks and Romans had the same law. So strictly was it attended to at Athens, that if a man put out the eye of another who had but one, the offender was condemned to lose both…
calvinMatthew 5:38-41: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:"
You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39. But I say to you, Do not resist evil: but whoever, shall inflict a blow on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also: 40. And to him who wishes to enter into a law-suit with thee, and to take away thy coat, allow him thy cloak also: 41. And whoever shall constrain thee to one mile, go with him two.
To him…
Jesus is quoting a common phrase derived from Old Testament law, but the religious leaders of his day had twisted it. They used this principle of "an eye for an eye" to justify personal revenge, rather than the restorative justice the law originally intended for magistrates.
Jesus is continuing His Sermon on the Mount, shifting from the laws of murder and adultery to address violence and retaliation. He's quoting a well-known principle from the Old Testament law, which was originally intended to regulate judicial punishments by magistrates, but which the religious leaders of His day had twisted into justification for personal revenge.
Jesus is continuing His Sermon on the Mount, shifting from the laws of murder and adultery to address violence and retaliation. He's quoting a well-known principle from the Old Testament law, which was originally intended to regulate judicial punishments by magistrates, but which the religious leaders of His day had twisted into justification for personal revenge.
"“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and tak…" — Jesus is quoting a common phrase derived from Old Testament law, but the religious leaders of his day had twisted it. They used this principle of "an eye for an eye" to justify personal revenge, rath…
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Last reviewed October 2026
