The Meaning of Matthew 5:12 Explained

Matthew 5:12

KJV: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

YLT: rejoice ye and be glad, because your reward is great in the heavens, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you.

Darby: Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus have they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

ASV: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Rejoice,  and  be exceeding glad:  for  great  [is] your  reward  in  heaven:  for  so  persecuted they  the prophets  which  were before  you. 

What does Matthew 5:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 5:10-16 - The New Salt And Light Of Human Society
We must expect to be persecuted, if we hold up the pure light of a consistent life amid the evils of the world. Men hate the light which exposes their misdeeds. They will tolerate you only so long as you leave them alone. But the universal testimony of those who have suffered thus is that the Son of man walks through the furnace beside His faithful martyrs.
Our holy lives ought to act as salt to arrest the corruption around us. It is said that the presence of a child has arrested many a crime. A sudden silence should fall on certain kinds of conversation when we enter the room. But it is very easy to lose our saltness, as did Lot in Sodom and the seven churches of Asia. See also Ezekiel 15:2-5. Our lives ought to serve also as light. The spirit of man is a candle. See Proverbs 20:27. We need to be kindled by the nature of God. Men light candles and God will light you. Let us burn and shine as John did, John 5:35. Beware of the bushel and ask God to choose your stand. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Matthew 5:12 mean?

Rejoice and exult for the reward of you [is] great in the heavens thus for they persecuted the prophets - before you
χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε ὅτι μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν

χαίρετε  Rejoice 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: χαίρω  
Sense: to rejoice, be glad.
ἀγαλλιᾶσθε  exult 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Middle or Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀγαλλιάω  
Sense: to exult, rejoice exceedingly, be exceeding glad.
μισθὸς  reward 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μισθός  
Sense: dues paid for work.
ὑμῶν  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
πολὺς  [is]  great 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
οὐρανοῖς  heavens 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.
οὕτως  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
ἐδίωξαν  they  persecuted 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: διώκω  
Sense: to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away.
προφήτας  prophets 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: προφήτης  
Sense: in Greek writings, an interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things.
τοὺς  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πρὸ  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: πρό  
Sense: before.