Matthew 5:16
Let 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 translations
| BSB | In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. |
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| WEB | Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. |
| ASV | Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. |
| YLT | so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who is in the heavens. |
| DARBY | Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens. |
| BBE | Even so let your light be shining before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. |
| Webster | Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. |
What does Matthew 5:16 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 5:13-16
13-16. 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…
Barnes' Notes
That they may see your good works. This is not the motive to influence us, simply that we must be seen, (comp. Mt 6:1); but that our heavenly Father may be glorified. It is not right to do a thing merely to be seen by others, for this is pride and ostentation; but we are to do it that, being seen, God may be honoured. The Pharisees acted to be seen of men; true Christians act to glorify God, and care little what men may think of them, except as by their conduct others may be brought to honour God.
Glorify your Father. Praise, or honour God, or be led to worship him. Seeing in your lives the excellency of religion, the power and purity of the gospel, they may be won to be Christians also, and give praise and glory to God for his mercy to a lost world.
We learn here,
(1.) that religion, if it exists, cannot be concealed.
(2.) That where it is not manifest in the life, it does not exist.
(3.) That professors of religion, who live like other men, give evidence that they have never been renewed.
(4.) That to attempt to conceal or hide our Christian knowledge or experience is to betray our trust, and injure the cause of piety, and render our lives useless. And,
(5.) that good actions will be seen, and will lead men to honour God.
If we have no other way of doing good--if we are poor, and unlearned and unknown--yet we may do good by our lives. No sincere and humble Christian lives in vain. The feeblest light at midnight is of use.
"How far this little calldie throws his beams!"(k) "glorify" 1Pet 2:12
So shines a good deed in a naughty world!"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 5:13-16
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…
Matthew 5:16 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Matthew 5:16
- 1 Peter 2:12
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- Titus 2:7
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
- John 15:8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
- 1 John 1:5-7
This 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. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
- Philippians 2:15-16
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
- Ephesians 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
- Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
- 1 Peter 3:16
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
- 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.
- Isaiah 58:8
Then 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 the Lord shall be thy rereward.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But 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:
- Titus 3:14
And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Pr 4:18; Isa 58:8; 60:1-3; Ro 13:11-14; Eph 5:8; Php 2:15,16
1Th 2:12; 5:6-8; 1Pe 2:9; 1Jo 1:5-7
that.
6:1-5,16; 23:5; Ac 9:36; Eph 2:10; 1Ti 2:10; 5:10,25; 6:18
Tit 2:7,14; 3:4,7,8,14; Heb 10:24; 1Pe 2:12; 3:1,16
and.
Isa 61:3; Joh 15:8; 1Co 14:25; 2Co 9:13; Ga 1:24; 2Th 1:10-12
1Pe 2:12; 4:11,14
your Father.
45; 6:9; 23:9; Lu 11:2
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Matthew 5:15
Neither 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.
- Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
- Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matthew 5:16 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Así alumbre vuestra luz delante de los hombres, para que vean vuestras obras buenas, y glorifiquen á vuestro Padre que está en los cielos. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Que votre lumière luise ainsi devant les hommes, en sorte qu’ils voient vos bonnes œuvres, et qu’ils glorifient votre Père qui est dans les cieux. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Also lasset euer Licht leuchten vor den Menschen, damit sie eure guten Werke sehen und euren Vater, der in den Himmeln ist, verherrlichen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus: ut videant opera vestra bona, et glorificent Patrem vestrum, qui in cælis est. |