New King James Version
Matthew 23:8
8But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.
Matthew 23:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
- New International Version (NIV)“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.
Context of Matthew 23:8
6They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
Read all of Matthew 23Matthew 23:8 word by word
ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ κληθῆτε ῥαββί· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῶν ὁ διδάσκαλος πάντες δὲ ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί ἐστε.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- beκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
- notμήmē · notG3361
- yeσύsu · youG4771
- calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
- Rabbiῥαββίrhabbi · RabbiG4461
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- Masterὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Masterκαθηγητήςkathēgētēs · teacherG2519
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
Cross-references for Matthew 23:8
- Matthew 23:10And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 1:24Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.
- 2 Corinthians 4:5For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
- James 3:1My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
- 1 Peter 5:3nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
- Matthew 10:25It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
- Matthew 17:5While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
- Matthew 26:49Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
- John 13:13You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.
- Romans 14:9For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
- 1 Corinthians 1:12Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:3for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
- Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
- Ephesians 3:15from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
- Colossians 1:1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
- Revelation 1:9I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Commentaries on Matthew 23:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8But be not ye called Rabbi - As our Lord probably spoke in Hebrew, the latter word rabbi, in this verse, must have been in the plural; but as the contracted form of the plural sounds almost exactly like the singular, the Greek writer would naturally express them both in the same letters. None of the prophets had ever received this title, nor any of the Jewish doctors before the time of Hillel and Shammai, which was about the time of our Lord; and, as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Be not ye - Jesus forbade his disciples to seek such titles of distinction. The reason which he gave was that he was himself their Master and Teacher, They were on a level; they were to be equal in authority; they were brethren; and they should neither covet nor receive a title which implied either an elevation of one above another, or which appeared to infringe on the absolute right of the Saviour to be their only Teacher and Master. The direction here…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Rabbi: In Judaism, these men were authoritative mediators for sharing knowledge about God (see Matthew 23:7). But under the new covenant, there is only one authoritative teacher, Jesus himself as the Messiah (see Jeremiah 31:31–34).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master--your Guide, your Teacher.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 23:8
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries