Matthew 5:18 (WEB)

Passage

For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.

Nearby Context

Matthew 5:16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:17 “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:18 For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.

Matthew 5:19 Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "all things", "most", "certainly", "tell", "until", "heaven", "earth", and "pass". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "all things" and "most", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Don t think that I came to..." into verse 19's "Whoever therefore shall break one of these...", so "all things" and "most" 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 "all things" and "most" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.