Matthew 4:16

¹⁴ to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁵ “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”

¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
KJV: The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
WEB: the people who sat in darkness saw a great light; to those who sat in the region and shadow of death, to them light has dawned.”
ASV: The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up.
DARBY: the people sitting in darkness has seen a great light, and to those sitting in [the] country and shadow of death, to them has light sprung up.
BLB: the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in the region and shadow of death, a light dawned on them.”

ÅB: det folket som satt i mørke de har sett et stort lys,
og for dem som satt i dødens land og skygge har et lys brutt igjennom.»
OTB: folket som bor i mørket har sett et stort lys; over dem som bor i dødsskyggens land, har et lys gått opp.»
B1930: det folk som satt i mørke, har sett et stort lys, og for dem som satt i dødens land og skygge, for dem er et lys oprunnet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
Read in context
Isaiah 42:6–7
“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
Read in context
Luke 1:78–79
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
Read in context
Isaiah 60:1–3
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
Read in context
Micah 7:8
Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
Read in context
Psalms 107:10–14
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,
Read in context
Luke 2:32
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
Read in context
Amos 5:8
He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth— the LORD is His name—
Read in context