Matthew · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Matthew 23 Revised Version with Apocrypha
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples,
1 Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησε τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ
2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat:
2 λέγων· ἐπὶ τῆς Μωσέως καθέδρας ἐκάθισαν οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι.
3 all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, [these ]do and observe: but do not ye 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 Yea, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves 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 But all their works they do for 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 at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
6 φιλοῦσι δὲ τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις καὶ τὰς πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς
7 and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi.
7 καὶ τοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καὶ καλεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ῥαββὶ ῥαββί.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, 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 no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
9 καὶ πατέρα μὴ καλέσητε ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πατήρ ὑμῶν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, [even ]the Christ.
10 μηδὲ κληθῆτε καθηγηταί· εἷς γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν [ὁ] καθηγητής, ὁ Χριστός.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
11 ὁ δὲ μείζων ὑμῶν ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever 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! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter.
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 unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a 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 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.
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 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified 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, he 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 Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
19 μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί! τί γὰρ μεῖζον, τὸ δῶρον ἢ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἁγιάζον τὸ δῶρον;
20 He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
20 ὁ οὖν ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ·
21 And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
21 καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ κατοικήσαντι αὐτόν·
22 And he that sweareth by the heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
22 καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὀμνύει ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, judgment, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.
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 Ye blind guides, which strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel.
24 ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, οἱ διυλίζοντες τὸν κώνωπα, τὴν δὲ κάμηλον καταπίνοντες!
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from extortion and excess.
25 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι καθαρίζετε τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς καὶ ἀδικίας.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also.
26 Φαρισαῖε τυφλέ, καθάρισον πρῶτον τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἵνα γένηται καὶ τὸ ἐκτὸς αὐτῶν καθαρόν.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of 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 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
28 οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνεσθε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δίκαιοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ μεστοί ἐστε ὑποκρίσεως καὶ ἀνομίας.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous,
29 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων,
30 and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should 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 Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets.
31 ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
32 καὶ ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν.
33 Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall 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: some of them shall ye kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and 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 that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary 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 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth 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 not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is ]he that cometh 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.
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)