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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Context of Matthew 5:12

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14“You are the light of the world. A town built 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 6:23“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
• Acts 5:41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
• Acts 16:25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
• Romans 5:3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
• 2 Corinthians 4:17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
• Philippians 2:17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
• Colossians 1:24Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
• James 1:2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
• 1 Peter 4:13But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
• Matthew 6:1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
• Matthew 10:41Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
• Matthew 16:27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
• Genesis 15:1After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
• Ruth 2:12May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
• Psalms 19:11By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
• Psalms 58:11Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges 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