Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Let your light shine brightly in front of people, so that when they see the good things you do, they will praise your Father in heaven.
Jesus is telling his followers to live in such a good way that others will see their actions and give credit to God.
📚 Historical Context
Jesus spoke these words during the Sermon on the Mount, his famous teaching delivered to his disciples and crowds gathered on a hillside near the Sea of Galilee. This comes right after Jesus called his followers the 'light of the world,' using the metaphor that light is meant to be seen, not hidden. In that culture, oil lamps were the primary source of light after dark, and people understood that hiding a lamp under a basket would defeat its purpose entirely.
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