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Key Verses in Matthew

Important passages from Matthew, each shown in full in your chosen Bible version with its setting and meaning.

Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition
Matthew 1:21WEB
She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”

He will save his people from their sins

The angel tells Joseph in a dream to name Mary's son Jesus, which means "the LORD saves", because he will save his people from their sins.

Salvation

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Matthew 4:4WEB
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’”

Not by bread alone

Jesus answers the first temptation in the wilderness by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: people live by every word that comes from God.

ObedienceTrust

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Matthew 5:3–12WEB
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. 10Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The Beatitudes

The opening of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus calls blessed those the world overlooks: the poor in spirit, mourners, the meek, the merciful, peacemakers and the persecuted, and describes…

The Kingdom of GodHumilityMercyPeace

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Matthew 5:14–16WEB
14“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. 15Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. 16Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

You are the light of the world

Jesus tells his followers they are the light of the world. Their good works should be seen, so that people glorify their Father in heaven, not the doers themselves.

Obedience

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Matthew 5:43–45WEB
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.

Love your enemies

Jesus teaches his followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, as their Father sends sun and rain on good and evil alike.

LoveForgiveness

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Matthew 6:9–13WEB
9Pray like this: “‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’

The Lord's Prayer

Jesus gives his disciples a pattern for prayer: honouring God's name, seeking his kingdom and will, and asking for daily bread, forgiveness and deliverance.

PrayerForgivenessThe Kingdom of God

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Matthew 6:19–21WEB
19“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Treasures in heaven

Jesus warns against storing up treasure on earth, where it decays or is stolen, and calls for treasure in heaven, "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be…

Generosity

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Matthew 6:33–34WEB
33But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

Seek first the kingdom of God

The conclusion of Jesus' teaching on worry (6:25-34). The Father knows his children need food and clothing; they are to seek his kingdom and righteousness first, and not be anxious…

The Kingdom of GodTrust

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Matthew 7:7–8WEB
7“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

Ask, seek, knock

Jesus encourages persistent prayer, and in the verses that follow (7:9-11) compares God to a father who gives good gifts to his children.

Prayer

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Matthew 11:28–30WEB
28“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Come to me, all who are weary

Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to him for rest and to take his easy yoke, contrasting with the heavy burdens religious leaders placed on people.

PeaceGrace

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Matthew 16:24–25WEB
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.

Take up your cross and follow me

After foretelling his death, Jesus tells his disciples that following him means denying themselves and taking up their cross; whoever loses their life for his sake will find it.

ObediencePerseverance

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Matthew 18:21–22WEB
21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.

Seventy times seven

Peter asks whether forgiving seven times is enough. Jesus answers seventy times seven and tells the parable of the unforgiving servant (18:23-35).

Forgiveness

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Matthew 19:26WEB
Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

With God all things are possible

Spoken after the rich young man goes away sad. The disciples ask who can be saved; Jesus answers that it is impossible for people, but with God all things are…

Faith

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Matthew 22:37–40WEB
37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and great commandment. 39A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

The greatest commandments

Asked which commandment is greatest, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18: love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.

LoveObedience

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Matthew 25:35–40WEB
35for I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. 36I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ 40“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

I was hungry and you gave me food

In his picture of the final judgement, Jesus says that what is done for the least of his brothers and sisters is done for him.

GenerosityJusticeLove

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Matthew 28:18–20WEB
18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Go and make disciples of all nations

The risen Jesus sends his disciples to make disciples of all nations, baptising and teaching them, and promises to be with them always.

ObedienceThe Kingdom of God

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Other books

GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 ChroniclesNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielJoelAmosMicahHabakkukZephaniahMalachiMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyHebrewsJames1 Peter1 JohnRevelation

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