Matthew 5:36
New International Version
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.

New Living Translation
Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black.

English Standard Version
And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

Berean Standard Bible
Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

Berean Literal Bible
Neither shall you swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.

King James Bible
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

New King James Version
Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

New American Standard Bible
Nor shall you take an oath by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

NASB 1995
“Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

NASB 1977
“Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

Legacy Standard Bible
Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

Amplified Bible
Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you are not able to make a single hair white or black.

Christian Standard Bible
Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Neither should you swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

American Standard Version
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Contemporary English Version
Don't swear by your own head. You cannot make one hair white or black.

English Revised Version
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
And don't swear an oath by your head. After all, you cannot make one hair black or white.

Good News Translation
Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

International Standard Version
Nor should you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

Majority Standard Bible
Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

NET Bible
Do not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.

New Heart English Bible
Neither should you swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

Webster's Bible Translation
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Weymouth New Testament
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

World English Bible
Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can’t make one hair white or black.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
nor may you swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black;

Berean Literal Bible
Neither shall you swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.

Young's Literal Translation
nor by thy head mayest thou swear, because thou art not able one hair to make white or black;

Smith's Literal Translation
Neither shouldst thou swear by thy head, for thou cant not make one hair white or black.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Neither shall you swear an oath by your own head, because you are not able to cause one hair to become white or black.

New American Bible
Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

New Revised Standard Version
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Neither shall you swear by your own head, because you cannot create in it a single black or white hair.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make in it a certain hair black or white.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
neither shall you swear by your head, for you can not make one hair white or black.

Godbey New Testament
Neither swear by thy head, because thou art unable to make one hair white or black.

Haweis New Testament
neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Mace New Testament
neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Weymouth New Testament
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

Worrell New Testament
neither swear by your head, because you can not make one hair white or black.

Worsley New Testament
for thou canst not make one hair of it white or black:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Oaths and Vows
35or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.…

Cross References
James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

Matthew 23:16-22
Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ / You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? / And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ ...

Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?

Acts 7:49
‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?

Ecclesiastes 5:2-5
Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. / As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. / When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. ...

Leviticus 19:12
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Numbers 30:2
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. / But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. / Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

Psalm 50:14
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.

Psalm 76:11
Make and fulfill your vows to the LORD your God; let all the neighboring lands bring tribute to Him who is to be feared.

Jeremiah 7:9-11
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, / and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’? / Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I too have seen it, declares the LORD.

Zechariah 8:17
do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely, for I hate all these things,” declares the LORD.

2 Corinthians 1:17-20
When I planned this, did I do it carelessly? Or do I make my plans by human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” and also “No, no”? / But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” / For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.” ...

Hebrews 6:16-18
Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument. / So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath. / Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

Romans 14:11
It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”


Treasury of Scripture

Neither shall you swear by your head, because you can not make one hair white or black.

shalt.

Matthew 23:16-21
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! …

because.

Matthew 6:27
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

Luke 12:25
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

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Matthew 5
1. Jesus' sermon on the mount:
3. The Beattitudes;
13. the salt of the earth;
14. the light of the world.
17. He came to fulfill the law.
21. What it is to kill;
27. to commit adultery;
33. to swear.
38. He exhorts to forgive wrong,
43. to love our enemies;
48. and to labor after perfection.














Nor shall you make an oath by your head
In this phrase, Jesus continues His teaching on the integrity of speech and the importance of truthfulness. The Greek word for "oath" is "ὅρκος" (horkos), which refers to a solemn promise or vow. In the cultural and historical context of the time, making oaths was a common practice to assert the truthfulness of one's words. However, Jesus challenges this practice by emphasizing that one's word should be sufficient without the need for additional guarantees. The phrase "by your head" indicates a personal guarantee, as the head was considered a symbol of one's life and identity. Jesus is teaching that even invoking something as personal as one's own head should not be necessary if one is living a life of integrity and truthfulness.

for you cannot make a single hair white or black
Here, Jesus underscores human limitations and the sovereignty of God. The phrase "a single hair" highlights the minutiae of human life, emphasizing that even the smallest aspects are beyond our control. The Greek word for "hair" is "θρίξ" (thrix), which is used to denote the individual strands of hair, symbolizing the detailed and intricate nature of God's creation. The mention of "white or black" refers to the natural aging process and the changes that occur beyond human control. This serves as a reminder of the divine authority over creation and the futility of human attempts to assert control over life. Jesus is teaching that since humans cannot control even the smallest details of their existence, they should rely on God's sovereignty and live with honesty and integrity, trusting in His providence.

(36) By thy head.--This is apparently chosen as an extreme instance of a common oath in which men found no reference to God. Yet here, too, nothing but an implied reference to Him fits it to be an oath at all. He made us, and not we ourselves, and the hairs of our head are not only numbered, but are subject in all their changes to His laws, and not to our volition.

Verse 36. - For thou canst not, etc. As each of the other objects included a reference to God, so does also thy head. For even that recalls to mind the power of God, since every hair of it bears the stamp of his handiwork.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Nor
μήτε (mēte)
Conjunction
Strong's 3383: Nor, neither, not even, neither?nor. From me and te; not too, i.e. neither or nor; also, not even.

should you swear
ὀμόσῃς (omosēs)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 3660: A prolonged form of a primary, but obsolete omo, for which another prolonged form omoo is used in certain tenses; to swear, i.e. Take oath.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

your
σου (sou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

head,
κεφαλῇ (kephalē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2776: From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.

for
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

you cannot
δύνασαι (dynasai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

make
ποιῆσαι (poiēsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

a single
μίαν (mian)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

hair
τρίχα (tricha)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2359: Hair (of the head or of animals). Genitive case trichos, etc. of uncertain derivation; hair.

white
λευκὴν (leukēn)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3022: White, bright, brilliant. From luke; white.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

black.
μέλαιναν (melainan)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3189: Black. Apparently a primary word; black.


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