Matthew 5:26

26 "Truly I say to you, ¹you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

Matthew 5:26 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 5:26

Verily, I say unto thee
This may be depended upon, you may assure yourself of it, that

thou shalt by no means come out thence,
from prison,

till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing,
or "last farthing"; or as the Ethiopic version reads it, "till thou hast exactly paid all"; which seems to express the inexorableness of the creditor, and the impossibility of the debtor's release.

Matthew 5:26 In-Context

24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

25 "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

26 "Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY ';

28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Cross References

• 1. Luke 12:59

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "quadrans" (equaling two mites); i.e. 1/64 of a daily wage