What does Matthew 5:16 mean?
This verse concludes Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount that his followers are "the light of the world." A lamp is not lit to be hidden under a basket, but placed where it lights up the whole house. So Christians should live in such a way that others can see their good works. The purpose is crucial: not so that people will praise us, but so that they will "glorify your Father which is in heaven." Later in the same sermon, Jesus warns against doing good deeds to be seen. The difference is the motive: shining for God's glory rather than our own.
Matthew 5:16 in the King James Version
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Context
15 Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
16 Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
17 “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Matthew 5:16 mean?
This verse concludes Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount that his followers are "the light of the world." A lamp is not lit to be hidden under a basket, but placed where it lights up the whole house. So Christians should live in such a way that others can see their good works. The purpose is crucial: not so that people will praise us, but so that they will "glorify your Father which is in heaven." Later in the same sermon, Jesus warns against doing good deeds to be seen. The difference is the motive: shining for God's glory rather than our own.
What does Matthew 5:16 say in the KJV?
Matthew 5:16 (KJV) reads: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”