Matthew 5 · Verse 11

Matthew 5:11

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Matthew 5:11, King James Version

Matthew 5:11 in other translations

BSBBlessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
WEB“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
ASVBlessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
YLT‘Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake--
DARBYBlessed are ye when they may reproach and persecute you, and say every wicked thing against you, lying, for my sake.
BBEHappy are you when men give you a bad name, and are cruel to you, and say all evil things against you falsely, because of me.
WebsterBlessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

What does Matthew 5:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you--or abuse you to your face, in opposition to backbiting. (See Mr 15:32). and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake--Observe this. He had before said, "for righteousness' sake." Here He identifies Himself and His cause with that of righteousness, binding up the cause of righteousness in the world with the reception of Himself. Would Moses, or David, or Isaiah, or Paul have so expressed themselves? Never. Doubtless they suffered for righteousness' sake. But to have called this "their sake," would, as every one feels, have been very unbecoming. Whereas He that speaks, being Righteousness incarnate (see Mr 1:24; Ac 3:14; Re 3:7), when He so speaks, speaks only like Himself.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. Revile you. Reproach you; call you by evil and contemptuous names; ridicule you because you are Christians. Thus they said of Jesus, that he was a Samaritan and had a devil; that he was mad; and thus they reviled and mocked him on the cross. But being reviled, he reviled not again, (1Pet 2:23) and thus being reviled, we should bless, (1Cor 4:12) and thus, though the contempt of the world is not in itself desirable, yet it is blessed to tread in the footsteps of Jesus, to imitate his example, and even to suffer for his sake, Php 1:29.

All manner of evil--falsely. An emphasis should be laid on the word falsely in this passage. It is not blessed to have evil spoken of us if we deserve it; but if we deserve it not, then we should not consider it as a calamity. We should take it patiently, and show how much the Christian, under the consciousness of innocence, can bear, 1Pet 3:13-18.

For my sake. Because you are attached to me; because you are Christians. We are not to seek such things. We are not to do things to offend others; to treat them harshly or unkindly, and court revilings. We are not to say or do things, though they may be on the subject of religion, designed to disgust or offend. But if, in the faithful endeavour to be Christians, we are reviled, as our Master was, then we are to take it with patience, and to remember that thousands before us have been treated in like manner. When thus reviled, or persecuted, we are to be meek, patient, humble; not angry; not reviling again; but endeavouring to do good to our persecutors and slanderers, 2Ti 2:24,25. In this way, many have been convinced of the power and excellence of that religion which they were persecuting and reviling. They have seen that nothing else but Christianity could impart such patience and meekness to the persecuted; and have, by this means, been constrained to submit themselves to the gospel of Jesus. Long since, it became a proverb, "that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."

(1) "falsely" or, "lying"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 When men shall revile you, and persecute - The persecution mentioned in the preceding verse comprehends all outward acts of violence - all that the hand can do. This comprehends all calumny, slander, etc., all that the tongue can effect. But as διωκειν, which we render to persecute, is a forensic term, and signifies legal persecutions and public accusations, which, though totally unsubstantiated, were the means of destroying multitudes of the primitive Christians, our Lord probably refers to such. No Protestant can think, without horror, of the great numbers burnt alive in this country, on such accusations, under the popish reign of her who is emphatically called Bloody Queen Mary.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:3-12

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…

Read the full comment on Matthew 5:3-12 →

Matthew 5:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΜακάριοίMakarioiBlessedG3107
ἐστε,esteare youG1510
ὅτανhotanwhenG3752
ὀνειδίσωσινoneidisōsinthey may insultG3679
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
καὶkaiandG2532
διώξωσινdiōxōsinthey may persecute [you]G1377
καὶkaiandG2532
εἴπωσινeipōsinthey may sayG2036
πᾶνpanall kinds ofG3956
πονηρὸνponēronevilG4190
καθ᾽kath᾽againstG2596
ὑμῶνhumōnyouG4771
ψευδόμενοιpseudomenoilyingG5574
ἕνεκενhenekenon account ofG1752
ἐμοῦ.emouMe.G1473

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 5:11

  • 1 Peter 4:14

    If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

  • Luke 21:17

    And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

  • Mark 13:13

    And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

  • Matthew 24:9

    Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

  • Luke 6:22

    Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

  • 1 Peter 2:23

    Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

  • John 15:21

    But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

  • Isaiah 66:5

    Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

  • Matthew 10:22

    And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

  • Matthew 10:39

    He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

  • Revelation 2:3

    And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

  • Luke 9:24

    For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
when.
10:25; 27:39; Ps 35:11; Isa 66:5; Lu 7:33,34; Joh 9:28; 1Pe 2:23
falsely. Gr. lying.
1Pe 4:14
for.
10:18,22,39; 19:29; 24:9; Ps 44:22; Mr 4:17; 8:35; 13:9,13
Lu 6:22; 9:24; 21:12,17; Joh 15:21; Ac 9:16; Ro 8:36; 1Co 4:10
2Co 4:11; Re 2:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 5:10

    Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

  • Matthew 5:11

    Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

  • Matthew 5:12

    Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Read all of Matthew 5

Matthew 5:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Bienaventurados sois cuando os vituperaren y os persiguieren, y dijeren de vosotros todo mal por mi causa, mintiendo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Vous êtes bienheureux quand on vous injuriera, et qu’on vous persécutera, et qu’on dira, en mentant, toute espèce de mal contre vous, à cause de moi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Glückselig seid ihr, wenn sie euch schmähen und verfolgen und jedes böse Wort lügnerisch wider euch reden werden um meinetwillen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Beati estis cum maledixerint vobis, et persecuti vos fuerint, et dixerint omne malum adversum vos mentientes, propter me: