Matthew 6:22

Matthew 6:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
• New International Version (NIV)“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

Context of Matthew 6:22

20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. 23But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God’s precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness! 24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

Matthew 6:22 word by word

Ὁ λύχνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός. ἐὰν οὖν ᾖ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινὸν ἔσται·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The lightὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The lightλύχνοςluchnos · lampG3088
• of the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the eyeὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• thineσύsu · youG4771
• singleἁπλοῦςhaplous · soundG573
• wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• full of lightφωτεινόςphōteinos · brightG5460

Cross-references for Matthew 6:22

• Luke 11:34The eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive, focused on God], your whole body also is full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. But when it is bad [spiritually blind], your body also is full of darkness [devoid of God’s word].
• Acts 2:46Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts,
• 2 Corinthians 11:3But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.
• Ephesians 6:5Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with respect for authority, and with a sincere heart [seeking to please them], as [service] to Christ—
• Colossians 3:22Servants, in everything obey those who are your masters on earth, not only with external service, as those who merely please people, but with sincerity of heart because of your fear of the Lord.

Commentaries on Matthew 6:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22The light of the body is the eye - That is, the eye is to the body what the sun is to the universe in the day time, or a lamp or candle to a house at night. If - thine eye be single - , simple, uncompounded; i.e. so perfect in its structure as to see objects distinctly and clearly, and not confusedly, or in different places to what they are, as is often the case in certain disorders of the eye; one object appearing two or more - or else in a different…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22The light of the body … - The sentiment stated in the preceding verses - the duty of fixing the affections on heavenly things - Jesus proceeds to illustrate by a reference to the “eye.” When the eye is directed steadily toward an object, and is in health, or is single, everything is clear and plain. If it vibrates, flies to different objects, is fixed on no one singly, or is diseased, nothing is seen clearly. Everything is dim and confused. The man…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-24Verses 19-24 Worldly-mindedness is a common and fatal symptom of hypocrisy, for by no sin can Satan have a surer and faster hold of the soul, under the cloak of a profession of religion. Something the soul will have, which it looks upon as the best thing; in which it has pleasure and confidence above other things. Christ counsels to make our best things the joys and glories of the other world, those things not seen which are eternal, and to place our…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22The eye is the lamp: The eye gives light to the body and helps guide the whole person. A "good" eye means a morally healthy outlook. It points to simple and wholehearted devotion to God (6:24). Here, it also means being generous.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. The light--rather, "the lamp." of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single--simple, clear. As applied to the outward eye, this means general soundness; particularly, not looking two ways. Here, as also in classical Greek, it is used figuratively to denote the simplicity of the mind's eye, singleness of purpose, looking right at its object, as opposed to having two ends in view. (See Pr 4:25-27). thy whole body shall be full of…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 6:22

• Commandments
• Conscience
• Darkness
• Lamp
• Religion
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Add
• Appear
• Closet
• Consider
• Corrupt
• Countenance
• Despise
• Fast
• Forgive
• Glory

Commentaries on Matthew 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings