5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 1 5:39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. 2 But whoever strikes you on the 3 right cheek, turn the other to him as well.
1 sn A quotation from Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20.
2 tn The articular πονηρός (ponhro", “the evildoer”) cannot be translated simply as “evil” for then the command would be “do not resist evil.” Every instance of this construction in Matthew is most likely personified, referring either to an evildoer (13:49) or, more often, “the evil one” (as in 5:37; 6:13; 13:19, 38).
3 tc ‡ Many