Matthew 23:18 - Forerunner Commentary

Matthew 23:18

16 “Woe to you, ^ablind guides, who say, ^b‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’

17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold ^aor the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’

19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift ^aor the altar that sanctifies the gift?

20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.

21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by ^aHim who dwells in it.

22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by ^athe throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ^aFor you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and ^bhave neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ^aFor you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and¹ self-indulgence.

26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ^aFor you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 ^a“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and¹ adorn the monuments of the righteous,

30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that ^ayou are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

32 ^aFill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.

33 Serpents, ^abrood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

Verse Comparison: Matthew 23:18

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Matthew 23:19 >>

American Standard Version
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.

Amplified® Bible
You say too, Whoever swears by the altar is not duty bound; but whoever swears by the offering on the altar, his oath is binding.

Contemporary English Version
You also teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the altar. But you say that it does matter if someone swears by the gift on the altar.

Darby English Version
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it is a debtor.

Good News Bible
You also teach, 'If someone swears by the altar, he isn't bound by his vow; but if he swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound.'

International Standard Version
Again you say, 'Whoever swears an oath by the altar is excused, but whoever swears by the gift that is on it must keep his oath.'

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

New American Standard Bible
"And, `Whoever swears by the altar, {that} is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.'

New International Version
You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.'

New King James Version
And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that counts for nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he has obligated himself.'

Young's Literal Translation
`And, whoever may swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever may swear by the gift that is upon it -- is debtor!

New English Translation
And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing.¹ But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’

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