New King James Version
Matthew 5:13
13“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
Matthew 5:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
- New International Version (NIV)“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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
Context of Matthew 5:13
11“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Read all of Matthew 5Matthew 5:13 word by word
Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται; εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι εἰ μὴ βληθὲν ἔξω καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yeσύsu · youG4771
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the saltὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the saltἅλαςhalas · saltG217
- of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- butδέde · thenG1161
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- have lost his savourμωραίνωmōrainō · be foolishG3471
- ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- wherewithτίςtis · which?G5101
- shall it be saltedἁλίζωhalizō · to saltG233
- it isἰσχύωischuō · be strongG2480
- thenceforthἔτιeti · stillG2089
- forεἰςeis · towardG1519
- nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- ·εἰei · if: notG1487
- butμήmē · notG3361
- to be castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
- outἔξωexō · out/outside(r)G1854
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- to be trodden under footκαταπατέωkatapateō · to trampleG2662
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: underG5259
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
Cross-references for Matthew 5:13
- Leviticus 2:13And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
- Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
- Mark 9:49“For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
- Luke 14:34“Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?
- Hebrews 6:4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
- 2 Peter 2:20For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
Commentaries on Matthew 5:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Ye are the salt of the earth - Our Lord shows here what the preachers of the Gospel, and what all who profess to follow him, should be; the salt of the earth, to preserve the world from putrefaction and destruction. See the note on Leviticus 2:13. But if the salt have lost his savor - That this is possible in the land of Judea, we have proof from Mr. Maundrell, who, describing the Valley of Salt, speaks thus: "Along, on one side of the valley, toward…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Ye are the salt of the earth - Salt renders food pleasant and palatable, and preserves from putrefaction. So Christians, by their lives and instructions, are to keep the world from entire moral corruption. By bringing down the blessing of God in answer to their prayers, and by their influence and example, they save the world from universal vice and crime. Salt have lost its savour - That is, if it has become tasteless, or has lost its preserving…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. 13People used salt for a number of reasons: to clean and prevent decay (Ezekiel 16:4), in making agreements (Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; see study note on 2 Chronicles 13:5), and to flavor food (Job 6:6; Mark 9:50). Salt that loses its savor becomes useless or tasteless (see Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34).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 5:13
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries