5:41a

and if someone forces you to go one mile: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as forces…to go means “force into service.” It originally referred to a Roman soldier who had authority to make a person carry something for him, as the Good News Translation translates (see the second example below). But it can also refer more generally to someone in a position of authority who can force you to do something for him.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

if anyone requires you to go one mile (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile (Good News Translation)
-or-
And if someone forces you to carry his load for one mile

one mile: The word mile refers to a Roman mile, which is about one and a half kilometers. The exact distance is not important to the teaching.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

one kilometer
-or-
one ⌊length of⌋ ground/land

5:41b

go with him two miles: Use the same term for “mile” as you used in the previous clause, but now it is two of them or “twice as far.” Jesus’ point here was that the person forced to help another person should do more than he is asked to do.

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