Matthew 23:16

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Matthew 23:15–18 · Berean Standard Bible

15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’

Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Matthew 23:17

You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

Matthew 23:19

You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

Matthew 23:24

You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Matthew 23:26

Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.

Matthew 15:14

Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Isaiah 56:10

Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.

Isaiah 56:11

Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:

John 9:39

Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”

John 9:40

Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”

John 9:41

“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Matthew 5:33

Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’

Matthew 5:34

But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

James 5:12

Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

Matthew 15:5

But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’

Matthew 15:6

he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Mark 7:10

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Mark 7:11

But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God),

Mark 7:12

he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother.

Mark 7:13

Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

Galatians 5:3

Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.