And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

MATTHEW 5:41KJV
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Matthew 5:41 (KJV)

What does Matthew 5:41 mean?

Matthew 5:41 means that if someone in authority forces you to go one mile with them, you should willingly go two miles instead. Jesus is teaching his listeners to respond to demands or impositions not with resentment, but with unexpected generosity.

In this verse, Jesus is speaking to a crowd during the Sermon on the Mount, addressing people living under Roman occupation. Roman soldiers could legally force civilians to carry their gear for a mile. By telling his listeners to go "twain" (two miles), Jesus is challenging them to go beyond what is required, showing a spirit of willingness rather than grudging compliance.

The Greek behind Matthew 5:41

  • ἀγγαρεύσει (angareusei, "compel"): This word refers to the specific legal right Roman soldiers had to force civilians to carry their burdens. The use of this term points to a real, everyday hardship faced by Jesus' audience.
  • μίλιον (milion, "mile"): This is a Roman mile, about 1,000 paces. Naming this specific distance grounds the teaching in the practical realities of Roman rule.
  • δύο (duo, "twain" or "two"): The instruction to go two miles instead of one emphasizes a voluntary, generous response, not just meeting the minimum requirement.

Why Matthew 5:41 matters

  • Matthew 5:41 clarifies that Jesus is not only teaching about personal attitude but also about how to respond to unjust or inconvenient demands with surprising kindness.
  • The verse connects to the broader theme of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus calls his followers to exceed ordinary expectations and reflect a different kind of righteousness.
  • Understanding the historical background of Roman occupation helps modern readers see that this teaching was both radical and practical for Jesus’ original audience.

Where else these words appear

“compel” Greek G29 · used in 3 verses

  • Matthew 27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
  • Mark 15:21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

“go” Greek G5217 · used in 77 verses

  • Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
  • Mark 7:29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
  • John 11:8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

“twain” Greek G1417 · used in 124 verses

  • Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
  • Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
  • John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

“whosoever” Greek G3748 · used in 148 verses

  • Matthew 2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
  • John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
  • Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,