Matthew 23:3

Matthew 23:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
• New International Version (NIV)So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
• English Standard Version (ESV)so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

Context of Matthew 23:3

1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2“The experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees teach with Moses’ authority. So be careful to do everything they tell you. But don’t follow their example, because they don’t practice what they preach. 4They make loads that are hard to carry and lay them on the shoulders of the people. However, they are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5“They do everything to attract people’s attention. They make their headbands large and the tassels on their shawls long.

Matthew 23:3 word by word

πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπωσιν ὑμῖν ποιήσατε καὶ τηρεῖτε. κατὰ δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν μὴ ποιεῖτε· λέγουσιν γὰρ καὶ οὐ ποιοῦσιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• whatsoeverὅσοςhosos · just as/how muchG3745
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• they bidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• youσύsu · youG4771
• observeτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• observeτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• butδέde · thenG1161
• notμήmē · notG3361
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• worksὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Matthew 23:3

• Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
• Exodus 18:19Now listen to me, and I’ll give you some advice. May God be with you! You must be the people’s representative to God and bring their disagreements to him.
• Deuteronomy 4:5I have taught you laws and rules as the Lord my God commanded me. You must obey them when you’ve entered the land and taken possession of it.
• Deuteronomy 5:27⌞Moses,⌟ go and listen to everything that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We’ll listen and obey.”
• Deuteronomy 17:9Go to the Levitical priests and the judge who is serving at that time. Ask for their opinion, and they will give you their verdict
• 2 Chronicles 30:12Also, God guided the people of Judah so that they united to carry out the command which the king and the leaders gave from the Lord’s word.
• Acts 5:29Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than people.
• Romans 13:1Every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn’t been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God.
• Matthew 21:30“The father went to the other son and told him the same thing. He replied, ‘I will, sir,’ but he didn’t go.
• Psalms 50:16But God says to wicked people, “How dare you quote my decrees and mouth my promises!
• Romans 2:19You are confident that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in the dark,
• 2 Timothy 3:5They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people.

Commentaries on Matthew 23:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3All therefore whatsoever - That is, all those things which they read out of the law and prophets, and all things which they teach consistently with them. This must be our Lord's meaning: he could not have desired them to do every thing, without restriction, which the Jewish doctors taught; because himself warns his disciples against their false teaching, and testifies that they had made the word of God of none effect by their traditions. See Matthew 15:6…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3All, therefore, whatsoever … - That is, all that they teach that is consistent with the Law of Moses - all the commands of Moses which they read to you and properly explain. The word “all” could not be taken without such a restriction, for Christ himself accuses them of teaching many things contrary to that law, and of making it void by their traditions, Matthew 15:1-6. They say, and do not - The interpretation which they give to the law is in the main…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3practice and obey: This was not a full confirmation of everything the Pharisees taught (see Matthew 15:1–20; 16:5–12; 23:13–39). It might refer only to teachings that agreed with the law of Moses, or it could be bitter irony or sarcasm. Jesus might also have advised conforming to the Pharisees’ teachings to avoid causing offense (17:24–27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. All therefore--that is, all which, as sitting in that seat and teaching out of that law. they bid you observe, that observe and do--The word "therefore" is thus, it will be seen, of great importance, as limiting those injunctions which He would have them obey to what they fetched from the law itself. In requiring implicit obedience to such injunctions, He would have them to recognize the authority with which they taught over and above the obligations…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 23:3

• Church
• Ecclesiasticism
• Example
• Hypocrisy
• Inconsistency
• Minister, Christian
• Oppression
• Pharisees
• Satire
• Scribe (S)
• Teachers

In the dictionaries

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

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