God’s Word Translation
Matthew 5:16
16In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
- New International Version (NIV)In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- English Standard Version (ESV)In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Context of Matthew 5:16
14“You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill. 15No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand. Then its light shines on everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven. 17“Don’t ever think that I came to set aside Moses’ Teachings or the Prophets. I didn’t come to set them aside but to make them come true. 18I can guarantee this truth: Until the earth and the heavens disappear, neither a period nor a comma will disappear from the Scriptures before everything has come true.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:16 word by word
οὕτως λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσιν τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- yourσύsu · youG4771
- lightφῶςphōs · lightG5457
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- shineλάμπωlampō · to shineG2989
- beforeἔμπροσθενemprosthen · beforeG1715
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
- they may seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
- worksἔργονergon · workG2041
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- glorifyδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
Cross-references for Matthew 5:16
- Proverbs 4:18But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.
- Isaiah 58:8Then your light will break through like the dawn, and you will heal quickly. Your righteousness will go ahead of you, and the glory of the Lord will guard you from behind.
- Isaiah 60:1Arise! Shine! Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has dawned.
- Romans 13:11You know the times ⌞in which we are living⌟. It’s time for you to wake up. Our salvation is nearer now than when we first became believers.
- Ephesians 5:8Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light.
- Philippians 2:15Then you will be blameless and innocent. You will be God’s children without any faults among people who are crooked and corrupt. You will shine like stars among them in the world
- 1 Thessalonians 2:12you should live in a way that proves you belong to the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober.
- 1 Peter 2:9However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
- 1 John 1:5This is the message we heard from Christ and are reporting to you: God is light, and there isn’t any darkness in him.
- 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 23:5“They do everything to attract people’s attention. They make their headbands large and the tassels on their shawls long.
- Acts 9:36A disciple named Tabitha lived in the city of Joppa. Her Greek name was Dorcas. She always helped people and gave things to the poor.
- Ephesians 2:10God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.
- 1 Timothy 2:10This is what is proper for women who claim to have reverence for God.
- 1 Timothy 5:10People should tell about the good things she has done: raising children, being hospitable, taking care of believers’ needs, helping the suffering, or always doing good things.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Let your light so shine - Or more literally, Thus let your light shine, . As the sun is lighted up in the firmament of heaven to diffuse its light and heat freely to every inhabitant of the earth; and as the lamp is not set under the bushel, but placed upon the lamp-stand that it may give light to all in the house; Thus let every follower of Christ, and especially every preacher of the Gospel, diffuse the light of heavenly knowledge, and the warmth of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Let your light so shine - Let your holy life, your pure conversation, and your faithful instructions, be everywhere seen and known. Always, in all societies, in all business, at home and abroad, in prosperity and adversity, let it be seen that you are real Christians. That they may see your good works - The proper motive to influence us is not simply that we may be seen (compare Matthew 6:1), but it should be that our heavenly Father may be glorified…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-16Verses 13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth. Mankind, lying in ignorance and wickedness, were as a vast heap, ready to putrify; but Christ sent forth his disciples, by their lives and doctrines to season it with knowledge and grace. If they are not such as they should be, they are as salt that has lost its savour. If a man can take up the profession of Christ, and yet remain graceless, no other doctrine, no other means, can make him profitable. Our light…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Glorify your Father in heaven: Those who pretend to be religious want people to praise them, but the disciples of Jesus should want people to praise God (see 1 Peter 2:12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1613-16. We have here the practical application of the foregoing principles to those disciples who sat listening to them, and to their successors in all time. Our Lord, though He began by pronouncing certain characters to be blessed--without express reference to any of His hearers--does not close the beatitudes without intimating that such characters were in existence, and that already they were before Him. Accordingly, from characters He comes to persons…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:16
In the dictionaries
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
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