Matthew 5:12

Matthew 5:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
• New International Version (NIV)Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Context of Matthew 5:12

10Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing what God approves of. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, lie, and say all kinds of evil things about you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in heaven! The prophets who lived before you were persecuted in these ways. 13“You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14“You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill.

Matthew 5:12 word by word

χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Rejoiceχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• be exceeding gladἀγαλλιάωagalliaō · to rejoiceG21
• forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• greatπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• rewardὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• rewardμισθόςmisthos · wageG3408
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• persecuted theyδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
• the prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253

Cross-references for Matthew 5:12

• Luke 6:23Rejoice then, and be very happy! You have a great reward in heaven. That’s the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
• Acts 5:41The apostles left the council room. They were happy to have been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for speaking about Jesus.
• Acts 16:25Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.
• Romans 5:3But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance,
• 2 Corinthians 4:17Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine.
• Philippians 2:17My life is being poured out as a part of the sacrifice and service ⌞I offer to God⌟ for your faith. Yet, I am filled with joy, and I share that joy with all of you.
• Colossians 1:24I am happy to suffer for you now. In my body I am completing whatever remains of Christ’s sufferings. I am doing this on behalf of his body, the church.
• James 1:2My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways.
• 1 Peter 4:13but be happy as you share Christ’s sufferings. Then you will also be full of joy when he appears again in his glory.
• Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to do your good works in public in order to attract attention. If you do, your Father in heaven will not reward you.
• Matthew 10:41The person who welcomes a prophet as such will receive a prophet’s reward. The person who welcomes a godly person as such will receive a godly person’s reward.
• Matthew 16:27The Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory. Then he will pay back each person based on what that person has done.
• Genesis 15:1Later the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great.”
• Ruth 2:12May the Lord reward you for what you have done! May you receive a rich reward from the Lord God of Israel, under whose protection you have come for shelter.”
• Psalms 19:11As your servant I am warned by them. There is a great reward in following them.
• Psalms 58:11Then people will say, “Righteous people certainly have a reward. There is a God who judges on earth.”

Commentaries on Matthew 5:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Rejoice - In the testimony of a good conscience; for, without this, suffering has nothing but misery in it. Be exceeding glad - , leap for joy. There are several cases on record, where this was literally done by the martyrs, in Queen Mary's days. Great is your reward in heaven - In the Talmudical tract Pirkey Aboth, are these words: "Rabbi Tarpon said, The day is short: the work is great: the laborers are slow: the Reward Is Great: and the father of the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad - Regard it as a great privilege thus to be persecuted and to suffer - a thing not to be mourned over, but as among the chief blessings of life. For great is your reward in heaven - That is, your reward will be great in the future world. To those who suffer most, God imparts the highest rewards. Hence, the crown of martyrdom has been thought to be the brightest that any of the redeemed shall wear; and hence many of the early…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-12Verses 3-12 Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people, which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. 1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them. 2. Those that mourn are happy. That godly…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The great … reward Jesus talks about is not earned by suffering for doing right. It is God's blessing for those who show his grace to others (see Matthew 10:41–42; 20:1–16). The ancient prophets are closely connected with the New Testament apostles (see also 13:16–17; 23:29–36; Ephesians 2:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad--"exult." In the corresponding passage of Luke (Lu 6:22, 23), where every indignity trying to flesh and blood is held forth as the probable lot of such as were faithful to Him, the word is even stronger than here: "leap," as if He would have their inward transport to overpower and absorb the sense of all these affronts and sufferings; nor will anything else do it. for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 5:12

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Constancy
• Happiness
• Heaven
• Instruction
• Persecution
• Readings, Select
• Religion
• Righteous
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Communication
• Despitefully
• Enemy
• Fornication
• Forswear
• Gift
• Hunger
• Inherit
• Jot

Commentaries on Matthew 5

• 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