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Matthew 5:19

Therefore whoever breaks one of these least commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

ὃς ἐὰν οὖν λύσῃ μίαν τῶν ἐντολῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων καὶ διδάξῃ οὕτως τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἐλάχιστος κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν· ὃς δ’ ἂν ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν.

Greek
What we did

We kept the ASV's wording, in modern English.

Why

  1. λύσῃ

    is from λύω, "loosen, set aside, break." It is the simple form of the verb that appears with a prefix in 5:17 (καταλῦσαι).

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    The ASV's "break" is within its range.

  2. οὖν, "therefore,"

    links this verse to 5:17–18.

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    We kept it in its place.

  3. "These least commandments."

    τῶν ἐλαχίστων is the superlative of "small." The same word is then used for the person: ἐλάχιστος κληθήσεται, "shall be called least." The English keeps the repeated word so the link is visible.

  4. "Does and teaches."

    ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ are two verbs joined by "and," set against "breaks … and teaches" in the first half.

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    The ASV adds "them" to complete the sense, and we kept it.

Other renderings

"break" (ASV); "relax" (ESV).

Read Matthew 5:19 in context