Matthew 5:28 (DBY)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:26 Verily I say to thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing.

Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matthew 5:28 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.

Matthew 5:29 But if thy right eye be a snare to thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:30 And if thy right hand be a snare to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "looks", "upon", "woman", "lust", "after", "already", "committed", and "adultery". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "looks" and "upon", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 27's "Ye have heard that it has been..." into verse 29's "But if thy right eye be a...", so "looks" and "upon" 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 "looks" and "upon" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.