Matthew 5:19 (DRB)

Passage

He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:18 For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 5:19 He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:21 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "called", "therefore", "shall", "break", "least", "commandments", and "teach". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "called" and "therefore", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "For amen I say unto you till..." into verse 20's "For I tell you that unless your...", so "called" and "therefore" 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 "called" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.