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

10“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. 11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 14You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden.

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 in that day, and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.
• Acts 5:41So they left the council rejoicing because they had been considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
• Acts 16:25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the rest of the prisoners were listening to them.
• Romans 5:3Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
• 2 Corinthians 4:17For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison
• Philippians 2:17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you.
• Colossians 1:24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my physical body – for the sake of his body, the church – what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ.
• James 1:2My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials,
• 1 Peter 4:13But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad.
• Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.
• Matthew 10:41Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
• Matthew 16:27For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
• Genesis 15:1After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and the one who will reward you in great abundance.”
• Ruth 2:12May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection!”
• Psalms 19:11Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; those who obey them receive a rich reward.
• Psalms 58:11Then observers will say, “Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded! Yes indeed, there is a God who judges in the 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