Revised Literal Translation
Matthew 5:16
16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is 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.
- New International Version (NIV)In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father 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.
Context of Matthew 5:16
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
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
- ·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 4:18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
- Isaiah 58:8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of Yhwh shall be thy rereward.
- Isaiah 60:1Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of Yhwh is risen upon thee.
- Romans 13:11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
- Ephesians 5:8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
- Philippians 2:15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
- 1 Thessalonians 2:12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
- 1 Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- 1 John 1:5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
- Matthew 6:1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
- Matthew 23:5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
- Acts 9:36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
- Ephesians 2:10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
- 1 Timothy 2:10But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
- 1 Timothy 5:10Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries