Parallel Verses

An Understandable Version

But you should just say 'yes' [when you mean] yes, and 'no' [when you mean] no. Whatever you say beyond these [i.e., enforcing them by oaths] is of the evil one [i.e., the devil].

New American Standard Bible

But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

King James Version

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Holman Bible

But let your word ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

International Standard Version

Instead, let your message be "Yes' for "Yes' and "No' for "No.' Anything more than that comes from the evil one."

A Conservative Version

But let your word be, Yes, yes, No, no. And anything beyond these is from evil.

American Standard Version

But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one .

Amplified

But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’ [a firm yes or no]; anything more than that comes from the evil one.

Anderson New Testament

But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no; for whatever is more than these is of the Evil One.

Bible in Basic English

But let your words be simply, Yes or No: and whatever is more than these is of the Evil One.

Common New Testament

Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

Daniel Mace New Testament

but let your communication be, yes, yes; no, no: for whatever goes beyond this, is evil.

Darby Translation

But let your word be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; but what is more than these is from evil.

Godbey New Testament

But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; but that which aboundeth more than these is of the evil one.

Goodspeed New Testament

But your way of speaking must be 'Yes' or 'No.' Anything that goes beyond that comes from the evil one.

John Wesley New Testament

But let your conversation be yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of the evil one.

Julia Smith Translation

But let your word be Yea, yea, and No, no: but that above this is of evil.

King James 2000

But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these comes from evil.

Lexham Expanded Bible

But let your statement be 'Yes, yes; no, no,' and anything beyond these is from the evil one.

Modern King James verseion

But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

But your communication shall be, 'Yea, Yea; Nay, nay': for whatsoever is more than that cometh of evil.

Moffatt New Testament

Let what you say be simply 'yes' or 'no'; whatever exceeds that springs from evil.

Montgomery New Testament

"But let your word be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the Evil One.

NET Bible

Let your word be 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no.' More than this is from the evil one.

New Heart English Bible

But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.

Noyes New Testament

But let your language be, Yea, yea; Nay; nay; for whatever is more than these cometh of evil.

Sawyer New Testament

But let your speech be, yes, yes, and no, no; for any thing more than this is evil.

The Emphasized Bible

But let your word be, Yea, yea, - Nay, nay; and, what goeth beyond these, is, of evil.

Thomas Haweis New Testament

But let your discourse be, Yea, yea; No, no: for all addition to these is from the wicked one.

Twentieth Century New Testament

Let your words be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from what is wrong.

Webster

But let your communication be, Yea, yea, Nay, nay: for whatever is more than these cometh of evil.

Weymouth New Testament

But let your language be, 'Yes, yes,' or 'No, no.' Anything in excess of this comes from the Evil one.

Williams New Testament

But your way of speaking must be a simple 'Yes' or 'No.' Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

World English Bible

But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.

Worrell New Testament

But let your speech be, 'Yes, yes;' 'No, no;' and what is more than these is of the evil one.

Worsley New Testament

but let your conversation be yea, yea; no, no; for whatever is more than these, cometh from the evil one.

Youngs Literal Translation

but let your word be, Yes, Yes, No, No, and that which is more than these is of the evil.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
But
δέ 
De 
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184

let
ἔστω ἔστωσαν 
Esto 
let be, be, not tr
Usage: 10

ὑμῶν 
Humon 
your, you, ye, yours, not tr.,
Usage: 371

λόγος 
Logos 
word, saying, account, speech, Word , thing, not tr,
Usage: 256

be
ἔστω ἔστωσαν 
Esto 
let be, be, not tr
Usage: 10

Yea
ναί 
Nai 
Usage: 24

yea
ναί 
Nai 
Usage: 24

Nay
οὐ 
Ou 
not, no, cannot ,
Usage: 1032

nay
οὐ 
Ou 
not, no, cannot ,
Usage: 1032

for
δέ 
De 
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184

τούτων 
Touton 
Usage: 43

ἐστί 
Esti 
is, are, was, be, have, not tr, , vr is
Usage: 585

of
ἐκ ἐξ 
Ek 
of, from, out of, by, on, with,
Usage: 709

Context Readings

The Sermon On The Mount: Taking Oaths

36 You should not take an oath, [saying] 'by my head,' for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37 But you should just say 'yes' [when you mean] yes, and 'no' [when you mean] no. Whatever you say beyond these [i.e., enforcing them by oaths] is of the evil one [i.e., the devil]. 38 "You have heard what was said [Exodus 21:24], 'Take an eye [from someone] if he takes yours, and take a tooth [from someone] if he takes yours.'

Cross References

James 5:12

But above everything else, my brothers, do not take oaths, not "by the heaven," nor "by the earth," nor by any other oath. But your "yes" should be [simply] "yes," and your "no," [simply] "no," so you do not fall under condemnation.

Matthew 13:19

When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one [i.e., the devil] comes to him and grabs away what had been sown in his heart. This is the person who was scattered to the side of the road.

Matthew 13:38

and the field [represents] the world. The good seed [represents] the children who belong to the kingdom, and the weeds [represent] the children who belong to the evil one [i.e., the devil].

Matthew 15:19

For evil thoughts, murder, extramarital affairs, sexual immorality, stealing, perjury, slander --- [all these] come from a person's heart,

John 8:44

You belong to your father the devil, and you are [always] wanting to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the [very] beginning [Note: This is probably a reference to Satan's influence on Adam, Eve and Cain in the Garden of Eden] and does not stand for the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he only speaks what is part of his nature, because he is a liar and the father of [all] liars.

John 17:15

I am not praying that you should take them out of the world, but that you should protect them from the evil one [i.e., the devil].

2 Corinthians 1:17-20

So, when I made this decision, was I just vacillating [in uncertainty]? Or, do I make plans in a worldly way [i.e., just to suit my own fancy], so that my "yes" and "no" [do not really mean anything]?

Ephesians 4:25

So then, put away lying and [Zech 8:16], "Each one should speak truthfully with his neighbor," because we are parts of one another [i.e., in the one body].

Colossians 3:9

Do not lie to one another, since you have put away [the conduct of] your old person with its practices,

Colossians 4:6

Your speech should always be favorable, seasoned with salt [i.e., interesting and appropriate], so that you may know how to properly answer each person [you talk with].

2 Thessalonians 3:3

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one [Note: The Greek says just "the evil"].

1 John 2:13

I am writing to you fathers, because you have known Him [i.e., Christ], [who has existed] from the beginning [See John 1:1]. I am writing to you young men, because you have overcome the [power of the] evil one [i.e., through faith they had gained victory over Satan, See 5:4].

1 John 3:12

not [hate each other] the way Cain did, who belonged to the evil one [i.e., Satan], when he murdered his brother [Abel]. And why did he murder him? It was because his [own] actions were evil and his brother's were righteous [See Heb. 11:4].

1 John 5:18

We know that every person who has been [spiritually] conceived [by God and eventually born] does not continue in [a life of] sin, but God's one and only conceived [Son] keeps him [from continuing to sin], and the evil one [i.e., Satan] does not continue to touch him [i.e., continue to control his life].

Matthew 6:13

And do not allow us to fall under temptation, but deliver us from [being harmed by] the evil one.'

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain