Matthew 5:45

Do that in order to imitate what God, your Father who is in heaven, does. He desires that you [MET] do like he does. He acts kindly to all people. For example, he causes the sun to shine equally on wicked people and on good people, and he sends rain both on righteous people and on unrighteous people.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

That 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.

In Context

44But now listen to what I say to you: Love your enemies as well as your friends, and pray for those who cause you to suffer.

46If you love only the people who love you, ◄ do not expect God to reward you in heaven!/will God reward you in heaven?► [RHQ] This is based on the fact that everyone, even the tax collectors, who you think are very great sinners, love [RHQ] those who love them. If you act like them, ◄ you are not any different from tax collectors!/in what way are you different from tax collectors?► [RHQ]

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Cross References

Psalms 145:9Yahweh, you are good to everyone, and you are merciful to everything that you have made.

Luke 6:35Instead, love your enemies! Do good things for them! Lend to them, and do not expect them to pay anything back! If you do that, God will give you a big reward. And you will be acting like his children should. Remember that God is kind to people who are not grateful and to people who are wicked, and he expects you to be like that too.

Acts 14:17But he has shown us [LIT] that he acts kindly toward us(inc). He is the one who causes it to rain and causes crops to grow. He is the one who gives you plenty of food, and makes you very happy.”

1 John 3:9People do not continue sinning repeatedly if they have become children of God. Instead, they continue to conduct their lives according to the character/nature that God produced in them [MET]. They cannot continually sin because God has caused them to become his children.

Matthew Henry on Matthew 5:44-48

The Sermon on the Mount. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That 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. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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