Matthew 5:34 (ASV)

Passage

but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:32 but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery.

Matthew 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

Matthew 5:34 but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God;

Matthew 5:35 nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Matthew 5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "swear", "neither", "heaven", and "throne". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "swear" and "neither", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 33's "Again ye have heard that it was..." into verse 35's "nor by the earth for it is...", so "swear" and "neither" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "swear" and "neither" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.