Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth, (A)but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

14 (B)“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 (C)Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so (D)that[a] they may see your good works and (E)give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:16 Or house. 16Let your light so shine before others that

Disciples and the World

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but (A)if the salt has become tasteless, how [a]can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.

14 “You are (B)the light of the world. A city set on a [b]hill cannot be hidden; 15 (C)nor do people light a lamp and put it under a [c]basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may (D)see your good works, and (E)glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:13 Lit will
  2. Matthew 5:14 Or mountain
  3. Matthew 5:15 Lit peck-measure

Salt draws out the good flavors subtly hidden in food and preserves what would otherwise spoil, as do those who claim to be children of God.

13 You, beloved, are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes bland and loses its saltiness, can anything make it salty again? No. It is useless. It is tossed out, thrown away, or trampled.

14 And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. 15 Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house. 16 You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it.

Read full chapter