16
the peopleὁ λαὸςwho satὁ καθήμενοςinἐνdarknessσκοτίᾳsawεἶδενa greatμέγαlight,φῶςandκαὶfor those who satτοῖς καθημένοιςinἐνthe regionχώρᾳandκαὶshadowσκιᾷof death,θανάτουlightφῶςdawnedἀνέτειλενon them.”αὐτοῖς
Matthew 4:16
Study it in the app“the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light dawned on them.””
With the Greek beneath
Matthew 4:16, word by word
- the peopleλαὸςlaos
people
A people, above all Israel, God's people.
Where else “laos” appears- who satκαθήμενοςkathēmenos
sit
To be seated somewhere, or riding on an animal.
Where else “kathēmenos” appears- darknessσκοτίᾳskotiai
darkness
Living without God, far from his light.
Where else “skotiai” appears- sawεἶδενeiden
see
To perceive with sight, to look and notice what is in front.
Where else “eiden” appears- a greatμέγαmega
intense
Of great force or intensity, like an enormous joy or fear.
Where else “mega” appears- lightφῶςphōs
God's light
God's light that shows the truth.
Where else “phōs” appears- the regionχώρᾳchōrai
region
A region, a country.
Where else “chōrai” appears- shadowσκιᾷskiai
shade, shadow
Shadow, shade.
Where else “skiai” appears- of deathθανάτουthanatou
death
The end of the body's life.
Where else “thanatou” appears- dawnedἀνέτειλενaneteilen
rise
To appear in the sky, like the sun or light.
Where else “aneteilen” appears
Translation note
Isaiah 9:1-2: the northern region, the first to fall to Assyria, is the first to see the light.
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
Jesus begins in Galilee
See them side by side
Matthew 4:12-17
12Now when he heard that John had been handed over, he withdrew into Galilee. 13And leaving Nazareth, he came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, when he says: 15“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations: 16the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light dawned on them.” 17From then on Jesus began to proclaim and to say, “Change your minds, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
14Now after John was handed over, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; change your minds and believe in the good news.”
14And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him went out through the whole surrounding region. 15And he was teaching in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
The context
15“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:
16 · This verse (above)
17From then on Jesus began to proclaim and to say, “Change your minds, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
To study Matthew 4 in a group
1. What it says
How did Jesus answer each time the tester spoke to him (vv. 4, 7, 10)?
2. What it means
Why does Matthew tell of the testing right before Jesus begins to proclaim the kingdom (vv. 1, 17)?
3. How I live it
Jesus called fishermen to follow him (v. 19). What everyday work could you do with more attention to God?