God’s Word Translation
Matthew 23:25
25“How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside they are full of greed and uncontrolled desires.
Matthew 23:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
- New International Version (NIV)“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
Context of Matthew 23:25
23“How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give ⌞God⌟ one-tenth of your mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the most important things in Moses’ Teachings. You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 24You blind guides! You strain gnats ⌞out of your wine⌟, but you swallow camels. “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside they are full of greed and uncontrolled desires. 26You blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cups and dishes so that the outside may also be clean. 27“How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed graves that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and every kind of impurity.
Read all of Matthew 23Matthew 23:25 word by word
Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι καθαρίζετε τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς καὶ ἀκρασίας.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Woeοὐαίouai · woe!G3759
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- scribesγραμματεύςgrammateus · scribeG1122
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
- hypocritesὑποκριτήςhupokritēs · hypocriteG5273
- forὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- ye make cleanκαθαρίζωkatharizō · to cleanG2511
- the outsideἔξωθενexōthen · outsideG1855
- of the cupποτήριονpotērion · cupG4221
- of the platterπαροψίςparopsis · dishG3953
- butδέde · thenG1161
- withinἔσωθενesōthen · inwardlyG2081
- they are fullγέμωgemō · be fullG1073
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- extortionἁρπαγήharpagē · plunderG724
- excessἀκρασίαakrasia · self-indulgenceG192
Cross-references for Matthew 23:25
- Matthew 15:19Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, ⌞other⌟ sexual sins, stealing, lying, and cursing come from within.
- Mark 7:4When they come from the marketplace, they don’t eat unless they have washed first. They have been taught to follow many other rules. For example, they must also wash their cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.)
- Luke 11:39The Lord said to him, “You Pharisees clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside you are full of greed and evil.
- Isaiah 28:7Priests and prophets stagger from wine and wobble from too much liquor. They stagger from too much liquor and become confused from too much wine. They wobble because of their liquor. They stagger when they see visions. They swerve as they judge.
Commentaries on Matthew 23:25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Ye make clean the outside - The Pharisees were exceedingly exact in observing all the washings and purifications prescribed by the law; but paid no attention to that inward purity which was typified by them. A man may appear clean without, who is unclean within; but outward purity will not avail in the sight of God, where inward holiness is wanting. Extortion and excess - ' , rapine and intemperance; but instead of , intemperance, many of the very best…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25The cup and the platter - The drinking-cup and the dish containing food. The Pharisees were diligent in observing all the washings and obligations required by their traditions. See the notes at Mark 7:4. Full of extortion and excess - The outside appeared well; the inside was filled with the fruit of extortion, oppression, and wickedness. The meaning is, that though they took much pains to appear well, yet they obtained a living by extortion and crime…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. 13-36Matthew gathered seven warnings of sorrow to come (literally woe to you) inspired by similar Old Testament lists (Isaiah 5:8–23; Habakkuk 2:6–20). Matthew arranged them to reach a climax with the killing of the prophets.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2525. within they are full of extortion--In Luke (Lu 11:39) the same word is rendered "ravening," that is, "rapacity."Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 23:25
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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