What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
Parallel translations
- WEB What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.
- BSB What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
- NKJV “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.
- NASB What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops.
- NLT What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
What Jesus teaches privately, the disciples are to proclaim publicly and boldly. The gospel is meant to be openly declared, not hidden.
Overview
Jesus commissions His disciples to broadcast His teaching from the housetops, refusing secrecy out of fear. What was first entrusted to the few is to reach the many. The verse undergirds the church's mandate to proclaim Christ openly, trusting that the message given in the intimacy of discipleship is for all the world.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Acts 5:20Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
- John 16:13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
- John 16:1These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
- Prov 1:20–23Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
- Matt 13:34–35All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
- Luke 8:10And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
- Matt 13:1–17The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
- Prov 8:1–5Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
- John 16:29His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
- Acts 5:28Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
- 2 Cor 3:12Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
- Acts 17:17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
- John 16:25These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 10:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.