Matthew 5:12
What does Matthew 5:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 5:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 5:12 means
Jesus commands His disciples to respond to persecution with joy and exceeding gladness instead of despair. The reason for this counter-intuitive command is the certainty of a "great reward in heaven." Their suffering on earth is a temporary hardship that secures an eternal recompense from God. Furthermore, Jesus reminds them that enduring persecution for righteousness' sake aligns them with the experiences of the prophets who came before them, validating their testimony and their mission.
Matthew 5:12 in context
Matthew 5 — The Beatitudes
Jesus opens his Sermon on the Mount with eight pronouncements that turn the world's value system upside down. Blessing belongs not to the proud and self-sufficient but to the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. In a few sentences he sketches the character of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and then calls them salt of the earth and light of the world.
- Kingdom ethics
- Inner righteousness
- True blessedness
- Light and salt
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Be glad and full of joy; for great is your reward in heaven: for so were the prophets attacked who were before you.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862rejoice ye and be glad, because your reward <FI>is<Fi> great in the heavens, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus have they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Context
This verse concludes the Beatitudes, providing both instruction and encouragement for facing persecution, which was introduced in verses 10 and 11. It offers the motivational climax—the promise of heavenly reward—and connects the disciples' suffering to the historical experience of God's faithful prophets, transitioning from character traits to the disciples' mission in the world.
v.11Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
v.12This passage
v.13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- James 1:2
Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;
- Isaiah 3:10
Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
- Hebrews 11:6
and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
- Matthew 6:4
that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.
- 1 Kings 22:8
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
- Psalms 19:11
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: In keeping them there is great reward.
Sermon ideas from Matthew 5:12
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What Matthew 5:12 teaches us about kingdom ethics
What Matthew 5:12 teaches us about inner righteousness
What Matthew 5:12 teaches us about true blessedness
What Matthew 5:12 teaches us about light and salt
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