Matthew 23:19

Matthew 23:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
• New International Version (NIV)You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
• English Standard Version (ESV)You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Context of Matthew 23:19

17You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the temple that made the gold holy? 18Again you say, ‘To swear an oath by the altar doesn’t mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gift on the altar means a person must keep his oath.’ You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20To swear an oath by the altar is to swear by it and by everything on it. 21To swear an oath by the temple is to swear by it and by the one who lives there.

Matthew 23:19 word by word

τυφλοί, τί γὰρ μεῖζον, τὸ δῶρον ἢ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἁγιάζον τὸ δῶρον;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• foolsμωρόςmōros · foolishG3474
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• blindτυφλόςtuphlos · blindG5185
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• whetherτίςtis · which?G5101
• greaterμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• the giftδῶρονdōron · giftG1435
• orἤē · orG2228
• the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379
• that sanctifiethἁγιάζωhagiazō · to sanctifyG37

Cross-references for Matthew 23:19

• Exodus 29:37For seven days at the altar make peace with the Lord and set the altar apart for its holy purpose. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will become holy.
• Exodus 30:29In this way you will dedicate them for their holy purpose. Then they will be most holy, and anything that touches them will become holy.

Commentaries on Matthew 23:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19The altar that sanctifieth the gift - The altar, dedicated to God, gave all the value or holiness to the offering, and must therefore be the greatest or of the most importance. If, therefore, either bound to the fulfillment of an oath, it must be the altar.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-33Verses 13-33 The scribes and Pharisees were enemies to the gospel of Christ, and therefore to the salvation of the souls of men. It is bad to keep away from Christ ourselves, but worse also to keep others from him. Yet it is no new thing for the show and form of godliness to be made a cloak to the greatest enormities. But dissembled piety will be reckoned double iniquity. They were very busy to turn souls to be of their party. Not for the glory of God and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-22The religious leaders said that some oaths were less binding, and this allowed them to deceive people. But Jesus called for honesty and for keeping every commitment (see Matthew 5:33–37).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Ye fools, and blind! for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?--(See Ex 29:37).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 23:19

• Altar
• Blindness
• Church
• Ecclesiasticism
• Hypocrisy
• Oath
• Pharisees
• Satire
• Teachers
• Temple

In the dictionaries

• Abase
• Bewray
• Devour
• Exalt
• Fill
• Gnat
• Ought
• Partaker
• Scribes
• Sit

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