16 “Woe to you, blind guides!(A) You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’(B) 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?(C) 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?(D) 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells(E) in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.(F)

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth(G) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.(H) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides!(I) You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish,(J) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.(K) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

Read full chapter

16 “Woe to you, (A)blind guides, who say, ‘(B)Whoever swears by the [a]temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the [b]temple is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! (C)Which is [c]more important, the gold or the [d]temple that sanctified the gold? 18 And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the [e]offering that is on it is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, (D)which is [f]more important, the [g]offering or the altar that sanctifies the [h]offering? 20 Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by [i]the altar and by everything on it. 21 And the one who swears by the [j]temple, swears both by [k]the temple and by Him who (E)dwells in it. 22 And the one who swears by [l]heaven, (F)swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

23 (G)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and [m]cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You (H)blind guides, who [n]strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (I)you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full [o]of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first (J)clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the [p]outside of it may also become clean.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:16 Or sanctuary
  2. Matthew 23:16 Or sanctuary
  3. Matthew 23:17 Lit greater
  4. Matthew 23:17 Or sanctuary
  5. Matthew 23:18 Or gift
  6. Matthew 23:19 Lit greater
  7. Matthew 23:19 Or gift
  8. Matthew 23:19 Or gift
  9. Matthew 23:20 Lit it
  10. Matthew 23:21 Or sanctuary
  11. Matthew 23:21 Lit it
  12. Matthew 23:22 I.e., an indirect reference to God
  13. Matthew 23:23 Similar to caraway seeds
  14. Matthew 23:24 Or filter out
  15. Matthew 23:25 Or as a result of
  16. Matthew 23:26 If the inside was ritually unclean, the entire vessel was unclean whether the outside was cleaned or not (cf. Num 19:15)

16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Read full chapter