Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. New Living Translation “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. English Standard Version “You are the salt of the earth, 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. Berean Standard Bible You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Berean Literal Bible You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what will it be salted. For nothing is it potent any longer except, having been cast out, to be trampled upon by men. King James Bible Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. New King James Version “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. New American Standard Bible “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people. NASB 1995 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. NASB 1977 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. Legacy Standard Bible “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out to be trampled under foot by men. Amplified Bible “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery]. Christian Standard Bible “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Holman Christian Standard Bible “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. American Standard Version Ye 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. Aramaic Bible in Plain English You are the salt of the earth, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will it be salted? It is good for nothing except to be thrown outside and to be trodden upon by people. Contemporary English Version You are the salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on. Douay-Rheims Bible You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men. English Revised Version Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. GOD'S WORD® Translation "You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, how will it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. Good News Translation "You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it. International Standard Version "You are the salt of the world. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? It's good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by people. Literal Standard Version You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt may lose savor, in what will it be salted? It is good for nothing from now on, except to be cast outside, and to be trodden down by men. Majority Standard Bible You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. New American Bible “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. NET Bible "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. New Revised Standard Version “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. New Heart English Bible "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trampled under people's feet. Webster's Bible Translation Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt hath lost its savor, with what shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot by men. Weymouth New Testament "*You* are the salt of the earth; but if salt has become tasteless, in what way can it regain its saltness? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown away and trodden on by the passers by. World English Bible “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. Young's Literal Translation 'Ye are the salt of the land, but if the salt may lose savour, in what shall it be salted? for nothing is it good henceforth, except to be cast without, and to be trodden down by men. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Salt and Light12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. 13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.… Cross References Job 6:6 Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? Mark 9:50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another." Luke 14:34 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned? Hebrews 10:29 How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace? Treasury of Scripture You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his flavor, with which shall it be salted? it is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. the salt. Leviticus 2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt. Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. if. Mark 9:49,50 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt… Luke 14:34,35 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? … Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, … Jump to Previous Cast Earth Except Feet Fit Flavor Foot Goes Good Insipid Lose Lost Passers Regain Salt Salted Saltiness Saltness Salty Savor Savour Tasteless Thenceforth Thrown Trampled Trodden Way WherewithJump to Next Cast Earth Except Feet Fit Flavor Foot Goes Good Insipid Lose Lost Passers Regain Salt Salted Saltiness Saltness Salty Savor Savour Tasteless Thenceforth Thrown Trampled Trodden Way WherewithMatthew 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. (13) Ye are the salt of the earth.--The words are spoken to the disciples in their ideal character, as the germ of a new Israel, called to a prophetic work, preserving the earth from moral putrescence and decay. The general reference to this antiseptic action of salt is (as in Colossians 4:6, and possibly in the symbolic act of Elisha, 2Kings 2:21) enough to give an adequate meaning to the words, but the special reference to the sacrificial use of salt in Mark 9:49 (see Note there) makes it probable enough that there was some allusion to that thought also here. If the salt have lost his savour.--The salt commonly used by the Jews of old, as now, came from Jebel-Usdum, on the shores of the Dead Sea, and was known as the Salt of Sodom. Maundrell, the Eastern traveller (circ. A.D. 1690), reports that he found lumps of rock-salt there which had become partially flavourless, but I am not aware that this has been confirmed by recent travellers. Common salt, as is well known, will melt if exposed to moisture, but does not lose its saltness. The question is more curious than important, and does not affect the ideal case represented in our Lord's words. Wherewith shall it be salted?--The words imply a relative if not an absolute impossibility. If gifts, graces, blessings, a high calling, and a high work fail, what remains? The parable finds its interpretation in Hebrews 6:1-6. To be trodden under foot of men.--The Talmud shows (Schottgen in loc.) that the salt which had become unfit for sacrificial use in the store-house was sprinkled in wet weather upon the slopes and steps of the temple to prevent the feet of the priests from slipping, and we may accordingly see in our Lord's words a possible reference to this practice. . . . Verse 13. - Ye are the salt, etc. (cf. a similar saying in Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34, 35). Weiss thinks that St. Luke gives it in its original context; that St. Matthew is right in interpreting it as of special reference to the disciples; and that St. Mark applies it the most freely. It may, indeed, be that its position here is only the result of the inspired guidance of the evangelist; but, on the whole, it seems more probable that so natural a figure was used more than once by our Lord, and that he really spoke these words in his sermon on the mount, as well as on the later occasion indicated by St. Luke. Ye; i.e. the μαθηταί of ver. 1. Are, in fact (ἐστέ); therefore recognize the responsibility. The salt of the earth. It has been disputed whether allusion is here made to the preservative properties of salt or to the flavour it imparts; i.e. whether Christ is thinking of his disciples as preserving the world from decay, or as giving it a good flavour to the Divine taste. Surely a useless question; forgetful of the fact that spiritual realities are being dealt with, and that it is therefore impossible for the one effect to be really separated from the other. Our Lord is thinking of the moral tone which his disciples are to give to humanity. The connexion with vers. 11, 12 is - Persecution must be borne unless you are to lose your moral tone, which is to be to the earth what salt is to its surroundings, preserving from corruption and fitting for (in your case Divine) appreciation. What χάρις is to be to the Christian λόγος (Colossians 4:6), that the Christian himself is to be to the world. If... have lost its savour (μωρανθῇ); so elsewhere in Luke 14:34 only. Salt that has lost its distinctive qualities is here said to lack its proper mind or sense. Salt without sharpness is like an ἄνθρωπος ἄλογος; for man is a ζῶον λογικόν. On the fact of salt losing its virtue, cf. Thomson ('Land and the Book,' p. 382: 1887), "It is a well-known fact that the salt of this country [i.e. Palestine] when in contact with the ground, or exposed to rain and sun, does become insipid and useless. From the manner in which it is gathered [vide infra], much earth and other impurities are necessarily collected with it. Not a little of it is so impure that it cannot be used at all; and such salt soon effloresces and turns to dust - not to fruitful soil, however. It is not only good for nothing itself, but it actually destroys all fertility wherever it is thrown.... No man will allow it to be thrown on to his field, and the only place for it is the street; and there it is cast, to be trodden under foot of men." It should be observed that the salt used in Palestine is not manufactured by boiling clean salt water, nor quarried from mines, but is obtained from marshes along the seashore, as in Cyprus, or from salt lakes in the interior, which dry up in summer, as the one in the desert north of Palmyra, and the great Lake of Jebbul, south-east of Aleppo. Further, rock-salt is found in abundance at the south end of the Dead Sea (cf. Thomson, loc. cit). Wherewith shall it be salted? i.e. not if you will not act as salt, wherewith shall the earth be salted? (apparently Luther and Erasmus); but what quality can take the place of moral tone to produce in you the same result? You are as salt. If you lose your distinctive qualities, where, can you find that which answers to them? It is thenceforth good for nothing. Our Lord here lays stress, not on want of fitness (εὔθετον, Luke), but on want of inherent power. "It is only useful for that purpose to which one applies what is absolutely useless" (Weiss-Meyer).Parallel Commentaries ... Greek YouὙμεῖς (Hymeis) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. are ἐστε (este) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. the τὸ (to) Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. salt ἅλας (halas) Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 217: Salt. From hals; salt; figuratively, prudence. of the τῆς (tēs) Article - Genitive Feminine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. earth. γῆς (gēs) Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe. But δὲ (de) Conjunction Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc. if ἐὰν (ean) Conjunction Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc. the τὸ (to) Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. salt ἅλας (halas) Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 217: Salt. From hals; salt; figuratively, prudence. loses its savor, μωρανθῇ (mōranthē) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 3471: From moros; to become insipid; figuratively, to make as a simpleton. how ἐν (en) Preposition Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. can it be made salty again? ἁλισθήσεται (halisthēsetai) Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 233: From hals; to salt. It is no longer good ἰσχύει (ischyei) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 2480: To have strength, be strong, be in full health and vigor, be able; meton: I prevail. From ischus; to have force. for εἰς (eis) Preposition Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases. [anything], οὐδὲν (ouden) Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular Strong's 3762: No one, none, nothing. except εἰ (ei) Conjunction Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. to be thrown βληθὲν (blēthen) Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular Strong's 906: (a) I cast, throw, rush, (b) often, in the weaker sense: I place, put, drop. A primary verb; to throw. out ἔξω (exō) Adverb Strong's 1854: Without, outside. Adverb from ek; out(-side, of doors), literally or figuratively. [and] trampled καταπατεῖσθαι (katapateisthai) Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive Strong's 2662: From kata and pateo; to trample down; figuratively, to reject with disdain. by ὑπὸ (hypo) Preposition Strong's 5259: A primary preposition; under, i.e. of place, or with verbs; of place (underneath) or where (below) or time (when). men. ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being. Links Matthew 5:13 NIVMatthew 5:13 NLT Matthew 5:13 ESV Matthew 5:13 NASB Matthew 5:13 KJV Matthew 5:13 BibleApps.com Matthew 5:13 Biblia Paralela Matthew 5:13 Chinese Bible Matthew 5:13 French Bible Matthew 5:13 Catholic Bible NT Gospels: Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth (Matt. Mat Mt) |
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