Ye Are the Light of the World

In the Sermon on the Mount we read:

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16.

Notice that your works are not for your own glory but for Gods.

The above quote is from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, which was translated in 1611. However, a better translation from the original Greek would have “lamp” and “stand” instead of “candle” and “candlestick.” If you check any modern translation, such as the Revised Standard Version (RSV) or the English Standard Version (ESV), they all have “lamp” and “stand”. While candles existed in the first century, they were not widely used. The standard house and even palace used lamps.