Matthew 5:41
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Matthew 5:41
And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The Greek word used here doesn't just mean "force" – it points to a specific, unwelcome requisition common in that day, where officials could impress you or your belongings into service, like forcing someone to carry baggage or act as a courier. Jesus isn't just talking about being inconvenienced, but about responding with extraordinary generosity to an unjust, authoritative demand.
Jesus is continuing his radical teaching on fulfilling the Law, directly countering the common interpretation of "an eye for an eye" as a license for retaliation. He's moving from responding to personal insults (turning the other cheek) to addressing civil disputes and burdens, urging his followers not to resist but to go beyond what is demanded. This builds on the previous commands by showing how to practically live out a non-retaliatory spirit even when faced with oppressive demands.
Ever felt like you're being forced to do something you don't want to? Jesus uses a word that paints a vivid picture of this kind of unfair imposition.
The word Jesus uses here, 'compel' (from a Persian origin), describes a specific type of forced service. Think of it like this: imagine you're going about your day, and a government official suddenly stops you. They have the authority to commandeer your time, your horse, or even you, to carry a message or baggage to the next town. This wasn't just an inconvenience; it was an oppressive exaction, a disruption of your life for the benefit of the empire. Jesus knew this experience well, as the Jews under Roman rule often faced such demands. It was a heavy burden, and the natural reaction would be resentment.
Jesus doesn't just say 'don't resist.' He calls us to an astonishing, counter-cultural response that goes above and beyond.
Instead of simply saying 'put up with it,' Jesus flips the script. He instructs his followers to go the extra mile – to willingly do double what was demanded. This isn't about blindly obeying unjust authority or enabling exploitation. It's a profound demonstration of:
Understand the original words
aggareuō · Greek Verb
To press into service or compel by legal or military authority. In the biblical world, this often referred to the right of Roman soldiers to conscript civilians for labor.
milion · Greek Noun
A Roman measure of distance equal to one thousand paces (approx. 4,854 feet). It represents the legal limit a person could be forced to carry a soldier's gear.
The concept of 'going the extra mile' was deeply rooted in the oppressive realities of imperial rule. Jesus' teaching was a radical reorientation of how one should respond to unjust demands, transforming a symbol of subjugation into an act of profound grace and witness.
c. 539 BC
Persian Royal Road Established
The Achaemenid Persian Empire established an extensive royal road system with relay stations for rapid communication and transport. This system empowered official couriers to impress people and resources into service, a practice known as 'angaria'.
c. 63 BC
Roman Conquest of Judea
Rome conquered Judea, establishing Roman authority and its own administrative and military systems. This included the imposition of taxes, military requisitions, and the enforcement of Roman law and order throughout the region.
Early 1st century AD
Roman Military and Administrative Presence
Roman soldiers and officials were stationed in Judea, exercising authority and often requisitioning local resources and labor for military and administrative purposes. This could include demanding that locals carry baggage or act as guides.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Sermon on the Mount
This passage directly echoes the spirit of Matthew 5:41 by advocating for overcoming evil with good, rather than retaliating, highlighting the transformative power of a positive response to negativity.
1 Peter 2:20Peter's teaching on patient suffering when doing good, even when disciplined unjustly, parallels Jesus' instruction to go the extra mile, showing that enduring hardship without complaint is a mark of godly character.
Luke 6:29-30Luke's parallel teaching to 'turn the other cheek' and 'give to the one who asks' expands on the principle of radical generosity and non-resistance that is at the heart of going the second mile.
Esther 4:14Mordecai's words to Esther, 'who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this,' hint at a divine purpose behind seemingly burdensome or unwelcome assignments, much like the 'pressing' mentioned in Matthew 5:41.
vincentMatthew 5:41: "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."
Shall compel thee to go (ἀγγαρεύσει)This word throws the whole injunction into a picture which is entirely lost to the English reader. A man is travelling, and about to pass a post-station, where horses and messengers are kept in order to forward royal missives as quickly as possible. An official rushes out, seizes him, and forces him to go back and carry a letter to the next station, perhaps to the great detrime…
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…
The Greek word used here doesn't just mean "force" – it points to a specific, unwelcome requisition common in that day, where officials could impress you or your belongings into service, like forcing someone to carry baggage or act as a courier. Jesus isn't just talking about being inconvenienced, but about responding with extraordinary generosity to an unjust, authoritative demand.
Jesus is continuing his radical teaching on fulfilling the Law, directly countering the common interpretation of "an eye for an eye" as a license for retaliation. He's moving from responding to personal insults (turning the other cheek) to addressing civil disputes and burdens, urging his followers not to resist but to go beyond what is demanded. This builds on the previous commands by showing how to practically live out a non-retaliatory spirit even when faced with oppressive demands.
Jesus is continuing his radical teaching on fulfilling the Law, directly countering the common interpretation of "an eye for an eye" as a license for retaliation. He's moving from responding to personal insults (turning the other cheek) to addressing civil disputes and burdens, urging his followers not to resist but to go beyond what is demanded. This builds on the previous commands by showing how to practically live out a non-retaliatory spirit even when faced with oppressive demands.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Matthew 5:41 is available in the Sola app.
Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount, likely to his disciples and a wider crowd in Galilee. He teaches radical principles of discipleship, including how to respond to oppression and injustice.
AD 33
Crucifixion of Jesus
Roman soldiers compel Simon of Cyrene to carry Jesus' cross, an example of 'angaria' or forced service that directly illustrates the concept Jesus was teaching about.
"And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." — The Greek word used here doesn't just mean "force" – it points to a specific, unwelcome requisition common in that day, where officials could impress you or your belongings into service, like forci…