New King James Version
Matthew 5:45
45that 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
Context of Matthew 5:45
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 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. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
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 the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
- John 13:35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- Ephesians 5:1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
- 1 John 3:9Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
- Job 25:3Is there any number to His armies? Upon whom does His light not rise?
- Psalms 145:9The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.
- Acts 14:17Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries