Matthew 5:26

26 Verily I say to thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing.

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 there thy gift before the altar, and first go, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25 Make friends with thine adverse party quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest some time the adverse party deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26 Verily I say to thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

28 But *I* say unto you, that every one who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Footnotes

• [a] The quarter of an assarion: see ch. 10.29.