God’s Word Translation
Matthew 5:45
45In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust.
Matthew 5:45 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
- New International Version (NIV)that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
- English Standard Version (ESV)so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
- New King James Version (NKJV)that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Context of Matthew 5:45
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven. He makes his sun rise on people whether they are good or evil. He lets rain fall on them whether they are just or unjust. 46If you love those who love you, do you deserve a reward? Even the tax collectors do that! 47Are you doing anything remarkable if you welcome only your friends? Everyone does that!
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:45 word by word
ὅπως γένησθε υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thatὅπωςhopōs · thatG3704
- ye may beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- the childrenυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of yourσύsu · youG4771
- Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- he makethἀνατέλλωanatellō · to riseG393
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- sunἥλιοςhēlios · sunG2246
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- on the goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- sendeth rainβρέχωbrechō · to rain downG1026
- the justδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
- on the unjustἄδικοςadikos · unjustG94
Cross-references for Matthew 5:45
- Matthew 5:9Blessed are those who make peace. They will be called God’s children.
- Luke 6:35Rather, love your enemies, help them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be the children of the Most High God. After all, he is kind to unthankful and evil people.
- John 13:35Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other.”
- Ephesians 5:1Imitate God, since you are the children he loves.
- 1 John 3:9Those who have been born from God don’t live sinful lives. What God has said lives in them, and they can’t live sinful lives. They have been born from God.
- Job 25:3Is there any ⌞limit to the⌟ number of his troops? Is there anyone on whom his light does not rise?
- Psalms 145:9The Lord is good to everyone and has compassion for everything that he has made.
- Acts 14:17Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.”
Commentaries on Matthew 5:45
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 45That ye may be the children of your Father - Instead of ̔ children, some MSS., the latter Persic version, and several of the primitive fathers, read ̔̀, that ye may be like to, or resemble, your Father who is in heaven. This is certainly our Lord's meaning. As a man's child is called his, because a partaker of his own nature, so a holy person is said to be a child of God, because he is a partaker of the Divine nature. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 45That ye may be the children of your Father - In Greek, the sons of your Father. The word “son” has a variety of significations. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. Christians are called the “sons” or “children” of God in several of these senses: as his offspring; as adopted; as his disciples; as imitators of Him. In this passage the word is applied to them because, in doing good to enemies, they resemble God. He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and good, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 43-48Verses 43-48 The Jewish teachers by "neighbour" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord Jesus teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all, especially to their souls. We must pray for them. While many will render good for good, we must render good for evil; and this will speak a nobler principle than most men act by. Others salute their…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 45By loving everyone, the followers of Jesus would not become children of God. Their actions would demonstrate that they are already God's true children, living according to his nature and will (see Deuteronomy 10:18–19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4545. That ye may be the children--sons. of your Father which is in heaven--The meaning is, "that ye may show yourselves to be such by resembling Him" (compare Mt 5:9; Ep 5:1). for he maketh his sun--"your Father's sun." Well might Bengel exclaim, "Magnificent appellation!" to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust--rather, (without the article) "on evil and good, and on just and unjust." When we find God's own…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 5:45
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries