Matius 5:14-18

5:14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 5:15 People ¹  do not light a lamp and put it under a basket ²  but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets

5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. ³  5:18 I ⁴  tell you the truth, ⁵  until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter ⁶  will pass from the law until everything takes place.

[5:15]  ¹ tn Grk “Nor do they light.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.

[5:15]  ² tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).

[5:17]  ³ tn Grk “not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Direct objects (“these things,” “them”) were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but have been supplied here to conform to contemporary English style.

[5:18]  ⁴ tn Grk “For I tell.” Here an explanatory γάρ (gar) has not been translated.

[5:18]  ⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[5:18]  ⁶ tn Grk “Not one iota or one serif.”

[5:18]  sn The smallest letter refers to the smallest Hebrew letter (yod) and the stroke of a letter to a serif (a hook or projection on a Hebrew letter).