Matthew
“Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
Matthew 5:12
Matthew 5:12 (KJV) speaks to persecution, joy, and hope — words set in Matthew, the Gospel that presents Jesus as the promised King. It is the kind of verse worth reading slowly, more than once, and carrying with you through the day.
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Verses that sit beside this one
“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
1 Peter 4:13“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”
2 Corinthians 4:17“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”
Isaiah 51:11“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:”
1 Peter 1:6“The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.”
Proverbs 10:28“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Isaiah 35:10
Common questions
What does Matthew 5:12 mean?
In the King James Version, Matthew 5:12 reads: "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." The verse speaks to persecution, joy, and hope. To read it well, take it in the flow of Matthew 5 rather than on its own, and let the words settle slowly — reading it aloud, or turning it into a short prayer, is often what makes its meaning land.
Is Matthew 5:12 in the King James Version?
Yes. "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." is Matthew 5:12 in the King James Version (KJV), found in Matthew chapter 5.
What are some related Bible verses to Matthew 5:12?
Verses that sit beside Matthew 5:12 include 1 Peter 4:13, 2 Corinthians 4:17, and Isaiah 51:11. Reading them alongside Matthew 5:12 deepens the theme of persecution.
How can I pray with Matthew 5:12?
Read Matthew 5:12 slowly, take a breath, and turn it into a short prayer in your own words — thanking God for what it promises, or asking for what it points to. Keep it somewhere you will see it today, and let it be a companion rather than a task to finish.