Bible Strands
Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses his followers to conclude a teaching on righteous conduct, following a rhetorical question about greeting only brothers.
The words — The Greek ἔσεσθε (esesthe) means "will be," and τέλειοι (teleioi) translates literally to "perfect" or "complete."
The thread — This command echoes Leviticus 19:2’s call to holiness, while James 1:4 and 1 Peter 1:15 similarly link perseverance and divine calling to spiritual maturity.
Why it lands — The text commands readers to align their moral conduct with God’s character, using the conjunction "therefore" to tie this standard directly to the preceding instructions.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Cross-references
- 1 Peter 1:15 But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
- James 1:4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
- Leviticus 19:2 “Speak to the whole congregation of Israel and tell them: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
- Deuteronomy 18:13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
- Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
- Ephesians 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,
- 1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.
- Colossians 1:28 We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
- Luke 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
- 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.