Matthew · Chapter 7 · Love

Matthew 7:12 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Love is the centre of Scripture's story. Read this one slowly.

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Topics #love #friendship

Read in chapter context · Matthew 7

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets."

KJV · King James Version

"Therefore3767 all things3956 whatsoever302 3745 ye would2309 that2443 men444 should do4160 to you5213, do4160 ye5210 even2532 so3779 to them846: for1063 this3778 is2076 the law3551 and2532 the prophets4396."

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses all, things, whatsoever, would, while the WEB renders these as whatever, desire, shall, also. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Matthew 7:12 in Matthew 7

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Matthew 7:12 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Matthew 7. Read the full chapter →

v.10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?
v.11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
v.12 Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
v.13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.
v.14 How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

Book background

About the Book of Matthew

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Gospel
Author: Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle
Date written: c. 50–70 AD
Audience: Primarily Jewish Christians
Chapters: 28

Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). He repeatedly shows how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. The Great Commission (28:18-20) closes the book.

Setting: Written to demonstrate Jesus as Israel's promised Messianic King.

Key themes: kingdom of heaven · fulfillment · discipleship · authority · mission

Read Matthew from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Matthew 7:12

Matthew 7:12 contains 24 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you

TWYDFM
2

you shall also do to them

YSADTT
3

for this is the law and the prophets.

FTITLA

Frequently asked

FAQ about Matthew 7:12

What does Matthew 7:12 say?

Matthew 7:12 reads: "Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets." — from the New Testament, Matthew (Gospel). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Matthew 7:12 in?

Matthew 7:12 is in the book of Matthew, traditionally attributed to Matthew (Levi), tax collector turned apostle and written around c. 50–70 AD. Matthew is gospel in the New Testament, originally addressed to Primarily Jewish Christians. Best known for the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes.

What is Matthew 7:12 about?

Matthew 7:12 is primarily a Bible verse about Love, with related themes including Friendship. Within Matthew, Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King in the line of David, structuring his Gospel around five major teaching blocks — most famously the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7). Read the full passage above with surrounding context.

What is the difference between Matthew 7:12 in WEB and KJV?

Matthew 7:12 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Therefore3767 all things3956 whatsoever302 3745 ye would2309 that2443 men444 should do4160 to you5213, do4160 ye5210 even2532 so3779 to them846: for1063 this3778 is2076 the law3551 and2532 the prophets4396.". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Matthew 7:12?

Matthew 7:12 is 24 words in the WEB translation (116 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is short and well-suited to memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 7 seconds.

How can I memorise Matthew 7:12?

To memorise Matthew 7:12, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Matthew 7:12 matter in Matthew?

How can I apply Matthew 7:12 today?

Many readers use Matthew 7:12 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Matthew 7:12 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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