Matthew 23:16
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“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.’”
A short, plain-language explanation of Matthew 23:16 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“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.’”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!”
King James Version · Public Domain“Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“`Woe to you, blind guides, who are saying, Whoever may swear by the sanctuary, it is nothing, but whoever may swear by the gold of the sanctuary--is debtor!”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Matthew 23:16 — 12 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 56:10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
- Matthew 5:33Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
- Matthew 15:5But 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 15:14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
- Matthew 23:17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?
- Matthew 23:19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
- Matthew 23:24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
- Matthew 23:26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
- Mark 7:10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
- John 9:39Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”
- Galatians 5:3Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
- James 5:12Above 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.
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).