Matthew 5:45
What does Matthew 5:45 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 5:45 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 5:45 means
Jesus provides the motivation and model for loving enemies: "that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." This radical love demonstrates a true family resemblance to God. He illustrates God's impartial goodness: He "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust." God's unreserved common grace to all humanity, regardless of their moral standing, serves as the ultimate example for His children to emulate.
Matthew 5:45 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 · 2000that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
KJV
King James Version · 1611That 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949So that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for his sun gives light to the evil and to the good, and he sends rain on the upright man and on the sinner.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862that ye may be sons of your Father in the heavens, because His sun He doth cause to rise on evil and good, and He doth send rain on righteous and unrighteous.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890that ye may be [the] sons of your Father who is in [the] heavens; for he makes his sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on just and unjust.
Context
This verse explains *why* disciples should love their enemies, building directly upon the command in verse 44. It grounds this radical love in the character of God the Father, presenting Him as the ultimate example of impartial goodness. This sets up further arguments against limited or conditional love in the verses that follow.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 145:9
Jehovah is good to all; And his tender mercies are over all his works.
- Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
- John 13:35
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
- 1 John 3:9
Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.
- Ephesians 5:1
Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;
- Acts 14:17
And yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.
Sermon ideas from Matthew 5:45
Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.
What Matthew 5:45 teaches us about kingdom ethics
What Matthew 5:45 teaches us about inner righteousness
What Matthew 5:45 teaches us about true blessedness
What Matthew 5:45 teaches us about light and salt
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