Matthew 5:41 (GNV)

Passage

And whosoeuer will compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twaine.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:39 But I say vnto you, Resist not euill: but whosoeuer shall smite thee on thy right cheeke, turne to him the other also.

Matthew 5:40 And if any man wil sue thee at the law, and take away thy coate, let him haue thy cloke also.

Matthew 5:41 And whosoeuer will compell thee to goe a mile, goe with him twaine.

Matthew 5:42 Giue to him that asketh, and from him that would borowe of thee, turne not away.

Matthew 5:43 Ye haue heard that it hath bin said, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour, and hate your enemie.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 40's "And if any man wil sue thee..." into verse 42's "Giue to him that asketh and from...", so "whosoeuer" and "compell" 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 "whosoeuer" and "compell" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.