Matthew 5:16
New International Version
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

New Living Translation
In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Berean Literal Bible
Thus let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and they should glorify your Father in the heavens.

King James Bible
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

New King James Version
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

New American Standard Bible
Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

NASB 1995
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

NASB 1977
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Amplified Bible
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Christian Standard Bible
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

American Standard Version
Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Thus your light will shine before the children of men that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who is in Heaven.

Contemporary English Version
Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

Douay-Rheims Bible
So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

English Revised Version
Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In the same way let your light shine in front of people. Then they will see the good that you do and praise your Father in heaven.

Good News Translation
In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

International Standard Version
In the same way, let your light shine before people in such a way that they will see your good actions and glorify your Father in heaven."

Literal Standard Version
so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who [is] in the heavens.

Majority Standard Bible
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

New American Bible
Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

NET Bible
In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.

New Revised Standard Version
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

New Heart English Bible
In the same way, let your light shine before people, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Weymouth New Testament
Just so let your light shine before all men, in order that they may see your holy lives and may give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

World English Bible
Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Young's Literal Translation
so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who is in the heavens.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Salt and Light
15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.…

Cross References
Matthew 9:8
When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

John 15:8
This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.

1 Peter 2:12
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.


Treasury of Scripture

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

your light.

Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

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.

Isaiah 60:1-3
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee…

that.

Matthew 6:1-5,16
Take 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 23:5
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Acts 9:36
Now 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.

and.

Isaiah 61:3
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

John 15:8
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

1 Corinthians 14:25
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

your Father.

Matthew 5:45
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.

Matthew 6:9
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 23:9
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

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Deeds Glorify Glory Good Heaven Heavens Holy Light Order Shine Shining Way Works
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Deeds Glorify Glory Good Heaven Heavens Holy Light Order Shine Shining Way Works
Matthew 5
1. Jesus' sermon on the mount:
3. The Beattitudes;
13. the salt of the earth;
14. the light of the world.
17. He came to fulfill the law.
21. What it is to kill;
27. to commit adultery;
33. to swear.
38. He exhorts to forgive wrong,
43. to love our enemies;
48. and to labor after perfection.














(16) Let your light so shine.--The English form of the sentence is somewhat misleading, or at least ambiguous. It is not simply, Let your light so shine that men may glorify; but, "Thus, like the lamp on its stand, let your light shine. . . ." The motive to publicity is, however, the direct opposite of the temper which led the Pharisee to his ostentatious prayers and almsgiving; not "to be seen of men," and win their praise, but to win men, through our use of the light which we know to be not our own, to glorify the Giver of the light. We have at least a partial fulfilment of the command in the impression made on the heathen world by the new life of the Church when they confessed, in spite of all prejudices, "See how these Christians love one another."

Your Father which is in heaven.--The name was in common use among devout Jews, but its first occurrence in our Lord's teaching deserves to be noted. The thought of God as a Father was that which was to inspire men not only when engaged in prayer (Matthew 6:9), but in the activity of obedience. (See Note on Matthew 6:9.)

Verse 16. - Matthew only. Let your light so shine; even so let your light shine (Revised Version); οὕτως λαμψὰτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν. The Revised Version (cf. Rheims) does away with the misinterpretation suggested by the Authorized Version, "so that," for οὕτως refers solely to the method of shining spoken of in ver. 15, "like a burning lamp upon its stand" (Meyer). Our Lord has here no thought of effort in shining, such as may improve the brightness of the light given, or of illuminating others, but of not concealing what light the disciples have. (For a similar οὕτως, cf. 1 Corinthians 9:24.) Yet remember, "A lamp for one is a lamp for a hundred" (Talm. Bab., 'Sabb.,' 122a) and "Adam was the lamp of the world" (Talm. Jeremiah, 'Sabb.,' 2:4 - a play on Proverbs 20:27). Your light. Either genitive of apposition, the light which you are (Achelis), cf. ver. 14; or genitive of possession, the light of which you are the trusted possessors (Meyer, Weiss). The latter is preferable, as the disciples have, in ver. 15, been compared to the lamp, i.e. the light-bearer. Before men (ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων). More than ἐνώπιον, "in presence of," for the position of the lamp "in front of" the people is what our Lord is here emphasizing (cf. John 12:37). That they may see your good works (u(mw = n τὰ καλὰ ἔργα). Your. Three times in this verse. Our Lord lays stress on personal possession of light, personal action, personal relationship and origin. Good works; i.e. of your lives generally (Weiss-Meyer), not ministerially (Mever). "Noble works, works which by their generous and attractive character win the natural admiration of men" (Bishop Westcott, on Hebrews 10:24). And glorify. This is actually done in ch. 9:8; 15:31. St. Peter's language (1 Peter 2:12) is probably due to a reminiscence of our Lord's words. Your Father which is in heaven. The Fatherhood of God is here predicated in a special sense of the disciples, in the same way as the Fatherhood of God is, in the Old Testament, always connected with his covenant relation to his people as a nation (cf. Isaiah 63:16; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 3:4; Deuteronomy 32:6). Our Lord here is not thinking of the original relation of God to being and especially to humanity, in virtue of man's creation in the Divine image (ὁ πατήρ), but of the relation into which the disciples have entered through the revelation of God in Christ; cf. further Bishop Westcott, on John 4:21 (Add. Note) and on 1 John 1:2 (Add. Note); also Weiss, 'Life,' 2:348. The phrase, which occurs here for the first time in St. Matthew (but cf. ver. 9, note), henceforth occurs frequently, becoming of great importance for this Gospel (cf. vers. 45, 48; Matthew 6:1, 9, etc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
In the same way,
οὕτως (houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779: Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

{let}
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

light
φῶς (phōs)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.

shine
λαμψάτω (lampsatō)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2989: To shine, give light. A primary verb; to beam, i.e. Radiate brilliancy.

before
ἔμπροσθεν (emprosthen)
Preposition
Strong's 1715: From en and pros; in front of (literally or figuratively) or time).

men,
ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

that
ὅπως (hopōs)
Conjunction
Strong's 3704: From hos and pos; what(-ever) how, i.e. In the manner that (as adverb or conjunction of coincidence, intentional or actual).

they may see
ἴδωσιν (idōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

good
καλὰ (kala)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2570: Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.

deeds
ἔργα (erga)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

glorify
δοξάσωσιν (doxasōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1392: To glorify, honor, bestow glory on. From doxa; to render glorious.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Father
πατέρα (patera)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

heaven.
οὐρανοῖς (ouranois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.


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