New International Version
Matthew 5:16
16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify 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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Context of Matthew 5:16
14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
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 4:18The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
- Isaiah 58:8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
- Isaiah 60:1“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
- Romans 13:11And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
- Ephesians 5:8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
- Philippians 2:15so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky
- 1 Thessalonians 2:12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.
- 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
- 1 John 1:5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
- 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 23:5“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
- Acts 9:36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.
- Ephesians 2:10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- 1 Timothy 2:10but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
- 1 Timothy 5:10and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
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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