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 the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 5They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels 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 disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.”
• Exodus 18:19Now listen to me, I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, and you bring their disputes to God;
• Deuteronomy 4:5Look! I have taught you statutes and ordinances just as the Lord my God told me to do, so that you might carry them out in the land you are about to enter and possess.
• Deuteronomy 5:27You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”
• Deuteronomy 17:9You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict.
• 2 Chronicles 30:12In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the Lord’s command.
• Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.
• Romans 13:1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.
• Matthew 21:30The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go.
• Psalms 50:16God says this to the evildoer: “How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant?
• Romans 2:19and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
• 2 Timothy 3:5They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.

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