The Meaning of Matthew 10:27 Explained

Matthew 10:27

KJV: What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

YLT: that which I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light, and that which you hear at the ear, proclaim on the house-tops.

Darby: What I say to you in darkness speak in the light, and what ye hear in the ear preach upon the houses.

ASV: What I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light; and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the house-tops.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

What  I tell  you  in  darkness,  [that] speak ye  in  light:  and  what  ye hear  in  the ear,  [that] preach ye  upon  the housetops. 

What does Matthew 10:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 10:24-33 - Fearless Confessors Of Christ
The more Christlike we are, the more certainly shall we incur the dislike and hatred of men. Only let us take care that they hate us, not on account of our personal peculiarities and pretensions, but solely for the truth's sake. See 1 Kings 22:8; Daniel 6:5.
Christ is often speaking. In the secret chamber of the heart, in the darkness of the night, in the shadowed room of pain and sorrow, in the room which holds all that is mortal of our beloved, hear His voice. It may be in dark sayings, but they are "the dark sayings on a harp," of which the psalmist sings. There are music, tenderness, love-notes in these dark sayings. And our hearts can receive lasting impressions in the dark.
Remember that in all your anxiety and pain, the Father is near. His presence encloses you in its gentle, holy embrace. You are of value to Him, of more value than you can count, because you were purchased with the precious blood of Christ. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 10

1  Jesus sends out his apostles, enabling them with power to do miracles;
5  giving them their charge, teaches them;
16  comforts them against persecutions;
40  and promises a blessing to those who receive them

What do the individual words in Matthew 10:27 mean?

What I tell you in the darkness speak the light and in the ear you hear proclaim upon the housetops
λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ εἴπατε τῷ φωτί καὶ εἰς τὸ οὖς ἀκούετε κηρύξατε ἐπὶ τῶν δωμάτων

λέγω  I  tell 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
σκοτίᾳ  darkness 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: σκοτία  
Sense: darkness.
εἴπατε  speak 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
φωτί  light 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: φῶς  
Sense: light.
οὖς  ear 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὖς  
Sense: the ear.
ἀκούετε  you  hear 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
κηρύξατε  proclaim 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: κηρύσσω  
Sense: to be a herald, to officiate as a herald.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
δωμάτων  housetops 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: δῶμα  
Sense: a building, house.