Matthew 5:41 (DRB)

Passage

And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:39 But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other:

Matthew 5:40 And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.

Matthew 5:41 And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two.

Matthew 5:42 Give to him that asketh of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.

Matthew 5:43 You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "whosoever", "force", "thee", "mile", and "other". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "whosoever" and "force", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 40's "And if a man will contend with..." into verse 42's "Give to him that asketh of thee...", so "whosoever" and "force" 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 "whosoever" and "force" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.