Matthew 23 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
1 Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησε τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ
2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees have set themselves down in Moses' seat:
2 λέγων· ἐπὶ τῆς Μωσέως καθέδρας ἐκάθισαν οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι.
3 all things therefore, whatever they may tell you, do and keep. But do not after their works, for they say and do not,
3 πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπωσιν ὑμῖν τηρεῖν, τηρεῖτε καὶ ποιεῖτε, κατὰ δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν μὴ ποιεῖτε· λέγουσι γάρ, καὶ οὐ ποιοῦσι.
4 but bind burdens heavy and hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of men, but will not move them with their finger.
4 δεσμεύουσι γὰρ φορτία βαρέα καὶ δυσβάστακτα καὶ ἐπιτιθέασιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τῷ δὲ δακτύλῳ αὐτῶν οὐ θέλουσι κινῆσαι αὐτά.
5 And all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders [of their garments],
5 πάντα δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ποιοῦσι πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. πλατύνουσι γὰρ τὰ φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν καὶ μεγαλύνουσι τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἱματίων αὐτῶν,
6 and love the chief place in feasts and the first seats in the synagogues,
6 φιλοῦσι δὲ τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις καὶ τὰς πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς
7 and salutations in the market-places, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
7 καὶ τοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καὶ καλεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ῥαββὶ ῥαββί.
8 But ye, be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your instructor, and all ye are brethren.
8 ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ κληθῆτε ῥαββί· εἷς γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν [ὁ] διδάσκαλος, ὁ Χριστός· πάντες δὲ ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί ἐστε.
9 And call not [any one] your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, he who is in the heavens.
9 καὶ πατέρα μὴ καλέσητε ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πατήρ ὑμῶν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
10 Neither be called instructors, for one is your instructor, the Christ.
10 μηδὲ κληθῆτε καθηγηταί· εἷς γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν [ὁ] καθηγητής, ὁ Χριστός.
11 But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
11 ὁ δὲ μείζων ὑμῶν ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος.
12 And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.
12 ὅστις δὲ ὑψώσει ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, καὶ ὅστις ταπεινώσει ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for ye do not enter, nor do ye suffer those that are entering to go in.
13 Οὐαὶ δὲ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κατεσθίετε τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσευχόμενοι· διὰ τοῦτο λήψεσθε περισσότερον κρῖμα.
14 Not in this translation
14 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὑμεῖς γὰρ οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθε, οὐδὲ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἀφίετε εἰσελθεῖν.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye compass the sea and the dry [land] to make one proselyte, and when he is become [such], ye make him twofold more [the] son of hell than yourselves.
15 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι περιάγετε τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὴν ξηρὰν ποιῆσαι ἕνα προσήλυτον, καὶ ὅταν γένηται, ποιεῖτε αὐτὸν υἱὸν γεέννης διπλότερον ὑμῶν.
16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.
16 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, οἱ λέγοντες· ὃς ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ ναῷ, οὐδέν ἐστιν, ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ χρυσῷ τοῦ ναοῦ, ὀφείλει.
17 Fools and blind, for which is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?
17 μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί! τίς γὰρ μείζων ἐστίν, ὁ χρυσὸς ἢ ὁ ναὸς ὁ ἁγιάζων τὸν χρυσόν;
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it is a debtor.
18 καί· ὃς ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, οὐδέν ἐστιν, ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ δώρῳ τῷ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, ὀφείλει.
19 [Fools and] blind ones, for which is greater, the gift, or the altar which sanctifies the gift?
19 μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί! τί γὰρ μεῖζον, τὸ δῶρον ἢ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἁγιάζον τὸ δῶρον;
20 He therefore that swears by the altar swears by it and by all things that are upon it.
20 ὁ οὖν ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ·
21 And he that swears by the temple swears by it and by him that dwells in it.
21 καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ κατοικήσαντι αὐτόν·
22 And he that swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him that sits upon it.
22 καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὀμνύει ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and ye have left aside the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy and faith: these ye ought to have done and not have left those aside.
23 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι ἀποδεκατοῦτε τὸ ἡδύοσμον καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον καὶ τὸ κύμινον, καὶ ἀφήκατε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὸν ἔλεον καὶ τὴν πίστιν· ταῦτα δὲ ἔδει ποιῆσαι κἀκεῖνα μὴ ἀφιέναι.
24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat, but drink down the camel.
24 ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, οἱ διυλίζοντες τὸν κώνωπα, τὴν δὲ κάμηλον καταπίνοντες!
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within they are full of rapine and intemperance.
25 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι καθαρίζετε τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς καὶ ἀδικίας.
26 Blind Pharisee, make clean first the inside of the cup and of the dish, that their outside also may become clean.
26 Φαρισαῖε τυφλέ, καθάρισον πρῶτον τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἵνα γένηται καὶ τὸ ἐκτὸς αὐτῶν καθαρόν.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
27 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι παρομοιάζετε τάφοις κεκονιαμένοις, οἵτινες ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνονται ὡραῖοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ὀστέων νεκρῶν καὶ πάσης ἀκαθαρσίας.
28 Thus also ye, outwardly ye appear righteous to men, but within are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
28 οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνεσθε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δίκαιοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ μεστοί ἐστε ὑποκρίσεως καὶ ἀνομίας.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets and adorn the tombs of the just,
29 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων,
30 and ye say, If we had been in the days of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
30 καὶ λέγετε· εἰ ἦμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν κοινωνοὶ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν.
31 So that ye bear witness of yourselves that ye are sons of those who slew the prophets:
31 ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας.
32 and ye, fill ye up the measure of your fathers.
32 καὶ ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν.
33 Serpents, offspring of vipers, how should ye escape the judgment of hell?
33 ὄφεις, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν! πῶς φύγητε ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τῆς γεέννης;
34 Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and [some] of them ye will kill and crucify, and [some] of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute from city to city;
34 διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε καὶ σταυρώσετε, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν,
35 so that all righteous blood shed upon the earth should come upon you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
35 ὅπως ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυνόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἄβελ τοῦ δικαίου ἕως τοῦ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου, ὃν ἐφονεύσατε μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
36 ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἥξει ταῦτα πάντα ἐπὶ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [the city] that kills the prophets and stones those that are sent unto her, how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
37 Ἱερουσαλὴμ Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτέννουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν! ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου ὃν τρόπον ἐπισυνάγει ὄρνις τὰ νοσσία ἑαυτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε.
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate;
38 ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος.
39 for I say unto you, Ye shall in no wise see me henceforth until ye say, Blessed [be] he that comes in the name of [the] Lord.
39 λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, οὐ μή με ἴδητε ἀπ᾽ ἄρτι ἕως ἂν εἴπητε, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Zechariah
Named by Jesus as the last of the righteous whose blood was shed, 'son of Berechiah', whom they killed between the temple and the altar. Matthew 23:35 calls him 'son of…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51
Cross references (35)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 20:45–46; Matthew 15:10–20; Luke 12:1; Luke 12:57; Mark 12:38–39
- 2 Luke 20:46; Mark 12:38; Malachi 2:7; Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:25
- 3 2 Timothy 3:5; Titus 1:16; Romans 2:19–24; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1
- 4 Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10; Galatians 6:13; Matthew 11:28–30; Matthew 23:23
- 5 Matthew 6:1–16; John 12:43; Philippians 2:3; Deuteronomy 6:8; John 5:44
- 6 3 John 9; Luke 11:43–54; Mark 12:38–39; Luke 14:7–11; Proverbs 25:6–7
- 7 John 1:38; John 1:49; John 3:2; John 6:25; John 3:26
- 8 James 3:1; Luke 22:32; Revelation 1:9; 1 Corinthians 1:12–13; 1 Peter 5:3
- 9 1 John 3:1; Hebrews 12:9; Malachi 1:6; Job 32:21–22; Romans 8:14–17
- 11 1 Corinthians 9:19; Galatians 5:13; John 13:14–15; Mark 10:43–44; 2 Corinthians 4:5
- 12 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6; Luke 14:11; Proverbs 29:23; Luke 18:14
- 13 Luke 11:52; Matthew 23:29; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 23:27; Zechariah 11:17
- 15 Acts 13:43; Acts 13:10; Ephesians 2:3; Galatians 6:12; Galatians 4:17
- 16 Matthew 15:14; James 5:12; Matthew 23:24; Matthew 23:17; Matthew 5:33–35
- 17 Matthew 23:19; Numbers 16:38–39; Psalm 94:8; Exodus 30:26–29
- 19 Exodus 29:37; Exodus 30:29
- 21 Psalm 26:8; 1 Kings 8:13; 2 Chronicles 6:2; Ephesians 2:22; Colossians 2:9
- 22 Matthew 5:34; Isaiah 66:1; Psalm 11:4; Revelation 4:2–3; Acts 7:49
- 23 Luke 11:42; Micah 6:8; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 5:19–20
- 24 Matthew 19:24; Matthew 27:6–8; Luke 6:7–10; Matthew 15:2–6; John 18:28
- 25 Luke 11:39–40; Matthew 15:19–20; Isaiah 28:7–8; Mark 7:4–13
- 26 2 Corinthians 7:1; James 4:8; Hebrews 10:22; Ezekiel 18:31; Isaiah 55:7
- 27 Luke 11:44; Acts 23:3; Numbers 19:16; Isaiah 58:1–2
- 28 Luke 16:15; Psalm 51:6; Matthew 23:5; Matthew 12:34–35; 1 Samuel 16:7
- 29 Luke 11:47–48; Acts 2:29
- 30 Matthew 23:34–35; Jeremiah 2:30; Matthew 21:35–36; 2 Chronicles 36:15
- 31 Acts 7:51–52; 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16; Job 15:5–6; Joshua 24:22; Luke 19:22
- 32 Genesis 15:16; Numbers 32:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:16
- 33 Matthew 3:7; Matthew 12:34; Luke 3:7; Matthew 5:22; Genesis 3:15
- 34 Matthew 10:16–17; Matthew 13:52; Colossians 1:28; Luke 11:49–51; Acts 13:1
- 35 2 Chronicles 24:20–22; Hebrews 11:4; Zechariah 1:1; Genesis 4:8; Revelation 18:24
- 36 Matthew 10:23; Matthew 24:34; Luke 21:32–33; Mark 13:30–31; Ezekiel 12:21–28
- 37 Luke 13:34–35; Psalm 91:4; Ruth 2:12; Deuteronomy 32:11–12; Psalm 17:8
- 38 Jeremiah 22:5; Luke 13:35; Luke 21:24; 1 Kings 9:7; Acts 6:13–14
- 39 Psalm 118:26; Matthew 21:9; Romans 11:25; John 8:24; Luke 17:22
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Then. When? When He had said these things, when He had stopped their mouths; when He had brought them that they should no more dare to tempt Him; when He had shown their state incurable. And since He had made mention of "the Lord" and "my Lord," He recurs again to the law.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Jesus, therefore, will be to them the author and teacher of such transgression, inasmuch as He commanded that one Being should be called Father, thus imposing upon them the necessity of confessing the Creator as their Father, as has been pointed out.
Therefore, says the Lord, "Cleanse that which is within, and the outside shall be clean also." He then says that God Himself,--not anything received from Him, but Himself,--is his portion.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Herewith towards the end also He was upbraiding them, when He said, "Ye bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, but ye will not move them with your finger," and, "ye pay tithe of mint and anise, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." Well then, I think that these are comprehended in …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
They forgot that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten, speaks in like manner concerning Himself to Jerusalem, How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)