Matthew 23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it…”

Matthew 23:16

Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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!

World English Bible

“Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’

American Standard Version

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

Geneva Bible 1599

Wo be vnto you blinde guides, which say, Whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the golde of the Temple, he offendeth.

Darby Translation

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.

Young's Literal Translation

'Woe to you, blind guides, who are saying, Whoever may swear by the sanctuary, it is nothing, but whoever may swear by the gold of the sanctuary — is debtor!

Bible in Basic English

A curse is on you, blind guides, who say, Whoever takes an oath by the Temple, it is nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gold of the Temple, he is responsible.

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Cross references

“ye blind”

Matthew 15:14 Matthew 23:17 Matthew 23:24 Matthew 23:19 Matthew 23:26 John 9:39–41

Matthew 15:14 · BSB

Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 23:17 · BSB

You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

Matthew 23:24 · BSB

You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Matthew 23:19 · BSB

You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

Matthew 23:26 · BSB

Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

John 9:39–41 · BSB

Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”

“Whosoever shall swear by the temple”

James 5:12 Matthew 5:33 Matthew 5:34

James 5:12 · BSB

Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

Matthew 5:33 · BSB

Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’

Matthew 5:34 · BSB

But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

“it is”

Mark 7:10–13 Matthew 15:5 Matthew 15:6

Mark 7:10–13 · BSB

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Matthew 15:5 · BSB

But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’

Matthew 15:6 · BSB

he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

“he is”

Galatians 5:3

Galatians 5:3 · BSB

Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

Read Matthew 23