Matthew 5:13

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 Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples during the Sermon on the Mount, immediately following a promise of heavenly reward and a warning about persecution. He speaks to them as a unified group entrusted with a specific function in the world.

The words — ἅλας (halas) literally means salt, paired with γῆς (gēs) for earth to form "salt of the earth." The conditional ἐὰν (ean) introduces the hypothetical scenario of salt losing its savor.

The thread — The metaphor runs parallel to the "light of the world" declaration in Matthew 5:14 and echoes the identical warning in Luke 14:34. Paul later applies the concept to interpersonal speech in Colossians 4:6, while Jesus uses the imagery of being "salted with fire" in Mark 9:49.

Why it lands — The text states that salt which loses its savor is discarded and trampled by men. It demands that readers maintain their distinctive influence or face functional irrelevance.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Luke 14:34 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned?
Mark 9:49 For everyone will be salted with fire.
Leviticus 2:13 And you shall season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering; you are to add salt to each of your offerings.
Hebrews 6:4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
2 Peter 2:20 If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.