Matthew 23:20

Matthew 23:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
• New Living Translation (NLT)When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it.

Context of Matthew 23:20

18And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

Matthew 23:20 word by word

ὁ οὖν ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whosoὄμνυμιomnuō · to swearG3660
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379
• itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• all thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
• thereonἐπάνωepanō · aboveG1883

Commentaries on Matthew 23:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Whoso - shall swear by the altar - As an oath always supposes a person who witnesses it, and will punish perjury; therefore, whether they swore by the temple or the gold, ( Matthew 23:16;), or by the altar or the gift laid on it, ( Matthew 23:18;), the oath necessarily supposes the God of the temple, of the altar, and of the gifts, who witnessed the whole, and would, even in their exempt cases, punish the perjury.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. 20-2220-22. Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, &c.--See on Mt 5:33-37.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 23:20

• 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