Matthew 23:6

Matthew 23:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
• New International Version (NIV)they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;
• English Standard Version (ESV)and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues
• New King James Version (NKJV)They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

Context of Matthew 23:6

4The scribes and Pharisees tie up heavy loads [that are hard to bear] and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger [to make them lighter]. 5They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries (tefillin) wide [to make them more conspicuous] and make their tassels long. They love the place of distinction and honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [those on the platform near the scrolls of the Law, facing the congregation], 7and to be greeted [with respect] in the market places and public forums, and to have people call them Rabbi. 8But do not be called Rabbi (Teacher); for One is your Teacher, and you are all [equally] brothers.

Matthew 23:6 word by word

φιλοῦσιν δὲ τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις καὶ τὰς πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andτεte · and/bothG5037
• loveφιλέωphileō · to loveG5368
• the uppermost roomsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the uppermost roomsπρωτοκλισίαprōtoklisia · place of honorG4411
• atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• feastsδεῖπνονdeipnon · dinnerG1173
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the chief seatsπρωτοκαθεδρίαprōtokathedria · seat of honorG4410
• the synagoguesσυναγωγήsunagōgē · synagogueG4864

Cross-references for Matthew 23:6

• Matthew 20:21And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit [in positions of honor and authority] one on Your right and one on Your left.”
• Proverbs 25:6Do not be boastfully ambitious and claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men;
• Mark 12:38In [the course of] His teaching He was saying, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes [displaying their prominence], and like to receive respectful greetings in the market places,
• Luke 11:43Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the best seats in the synagogues and to be respectfully greeted in the market places.
• Luke 14:7Now Jesus began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been selecting the places of honor at the table, saying to them,
• Luke 20:46“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes [displaying their prominence], and love respectful greetings in the [crowded] market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets.
• Romans 12:10Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor;
• James 2:1My fellow believers, do not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no prejudice, no snobbery].
• 3 John 1:9I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to put himself first, does not accept what we say and refuses to recognize my authority.

Commentaries on Matthew 23:6

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The uppermost rooms at feasts - The word “rooms,” here, by no means expresses the meaning of the original. It would be correctly rendered the uppermost “places or couches” at feasts. To understand this, it is necessary to remark that the custom among the Jews was not to eat sitting, as we do, but reclining on couches. The table was made by “three” tables, raised like ours and placed so as to form a square, with a clear space in the midst, and one end…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6the chief seats in the synagogue: These were close to the Torah scrolls and faced the congregation.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts--The word "room" is now obsolete in the sense here intended. It should be "the uppermost place," that is, the place of highest honor. and the chief seats in the synagogues. See on Lu 14:7, 8.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 23:6

• Ambition
• Church
• Hypocrisy
• Pharisees
• Pride
• Satire
• Teachers

In the dictionaries

• Chief Seats
• Abase
• Banquet
• Bewray
• Devour
• Exalt
• Fill
• Gnat
• Ought
• Partaker

Commentaries on Matthew 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings