Matthew 5:20 (GNV)

Passage

For I say vnto you, except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises, ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:18 For truely I say vnto you, Till heauen, and earth perish, one iote or one title of the Law shall not scape, till all things be fulfilled.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these least commandements, and teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heauen: but whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen.

Matthew 5:20 For I say vnto you, except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises, ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen.

Matthew 5:21 Ye haue heard that it was sayd vnto them of the olde time, Thou shalt not kill: for whosoeuer killeth shalbe culpable of iudgement.

Matthew 5:22 But I say vnto you, whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly, shalbe culpable of iudgment. And whosoeuer sayth vnto his brother, Raca, shalbe worthy to be punished by the Councill. And whosoeuer shall say, Foole, shalbe worthy to be punished with hell fire.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "vnto", "except", "righteousnes", "exceede", "scribes", "pharises", and "shall". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "vnto" and "except", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of these..." into verse 21's "Ye haue heard that it was sayd...", so "vnto" and "except" 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 "vnto" and "except" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.