Matthew 5:47 (DBY)

Passage

And if ye should salute your brethren only, what do ye extraordinary? Do not also the Gentiles the same?

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:45 that ye may be [the] sons of your Father who is in [the] heavens; for he makes his sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on just and unjust.

Matthew 5:46 For if ye should love those who love you, what reward have ye? Do not also the tax-gatherers the same?

Matthew 5:47 And if ye should salute your brethren only, what do ye extraordinary? Do not also the Gentiles the same?

Matthew 5:48 Be *ye* therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "should", "salute", "brethren", "only", "extraordinary", "gentiles", and "same". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "should" and "salute", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 46's "For if ye should love those who..." into verse 48's "Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly...", so "should" and "salute" 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 "should" and "salute" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.