OET interlinear MAT 5:20

5:20

The Jews considered the Pharisees and the teachers of the law to be the most righteous people because they closely followed the commandments. So what Jesus said here would have shocked his hearers. He did not consider most of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees to be truly righteous.

5:20a–b

unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven: The Greek text has a negative in each clause:

if your righteousness does not surpass…, you will certainly not enter…

In some languages, it may be necessary to adjust the way the negatives are used in order for the correct meaning between the clauses to be clear.

Here are some other ways to translate these clauses:

you will be able to enter the kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires. (GNT)

your goodness must be a far better thing than the goodness of the scribes and Pharisees before you can set foot in the kingdom of Heaven at all! (JBP)

You must obey God’s commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don’t, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. (CEV)

5:20a

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For indicates that the words in 5:20 are a further explanation of the ideas in 5:17–19.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

then (GNT)

So

Therefore

Many English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it may not be necessary to translate it either.

I tell you: The words I tell you emphasize the importance of the words that follow. This phrase is similar to “For I tell you truly” (in 5:18a) except that it does not have the word translated as “truly.”

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

I assure you

listen

unless your righteousness: The word righteousness refers here to doing what is right and good in God’s sight. A righteous person has good morals and is honest.

Here are some other ways to translate righteousness:

you do what is right

you do what God wills/desires

doing what God requires (GNT)

you do what God considers right

This same word occurs in 5:6a.

exceeds: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as exceeds also means “surpasses” or “is better/greater than.”

Here are some other ways to translate exceeds:

is greater/more/better than

goes beyond (NET)

scribes: The Greek word that the BSB translates as scribes refers to men who studied, interpreted, and taught the law of Moses. These men were called scribes because their original work was to copy the laws of Moses by hand. In New Testament times, this was no longer their main task.

Here are some other ways to translate this term:

teachers of the law (NIV)

teachers of the Law of Moses

teachers of religious law (NLT)

experts in the law (NET)

This word also occurs in 2:4. You should translate it here as you did there.

Pharisees: The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group or party known for teaching a very strict obedience to the law of Moses. See how you translated this term in 3:7.

5:20b

never: The Greek words that the BSB translates as never is a stronger way to say “not.”

Here are some ways to translate these words:

certainly not (NIV)

never (RSV)

enter the kingdom of heaven: In this context, the word enter refers to “becoming a citizen of.” When people believe in Jesus, they become citizens/members of the kingdom of heaven.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

become a citizen of the kingdom of heaven

become one of those who are in the kingdom of the one who lives in heaven

be added to those over whom God rules