Matthew 23:17 Parallel Translations
NASB: "You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? (NASB ©1995)
GWT: You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the temple that made the gold holy?(GOD'S WORD®)
KJV: Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
ASV: Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold?
BBE: You foolish ones and blind: which is greater, the gold, or the Temple which makes the gold holy?
DBY: Fools and blind, for which is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?
ERV: Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold?
WEY: "Blind fools! Why, which is greater? --the gold, or the Sanctuary which has made the gold holy?
WBS: Ye fools, and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
WEB: You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
YLT: Fools and blind! for which is greater, the gold, or the sanctuary that is sanctifying the gold?
Matthew 23:17 Cross References
XREF:Exodus 30:29 "You shall also consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them shall be holy. (NASB ©1995)
Commentaries and Concordances
GSB: 23:17 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that {r} sanctifieth the gold?
(r) Causes the gold which is dedicated to a holy use to be considered holy.
PNT: 23:16,17 [Ye] blind guides. Blind, because they closed their eyes, yet professing to be leaders.
Swear by the temple. A common oath among the Jews.
Swear by the gold of the temple. In their foolish distinctions they regarded this as a binding oath. If the gold had any sacredness, it was because the temple, God's house, made it so.
MHC: 23:13-33 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 the good of souls, but that they might have the credit and advantage of making converts. Gain being their godliness, by a thousand devices they made religion give way to their worldly interests. They were very strict and precise in smaller matters of the law, but careless and loose in weightier matters. It is not the scrupling a little sin that Christ here reproves; if it be a sin, though but a gnat, it must be strained out; but the doing that, and then swallowing a camel, or, committing a greater sin. While they would seem to be godly, they were neither sober nor righteous. We are really, what we are inwardly. Outward motives may keep the outside clean, while the inside is filthy; but if the heart and spirit be made new, there will be newness of life; here we must begin with ourselves. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was like the ornaments of a grave, or dressing up a dead body, only for show. The deceitfulness of sinners' hearts appears in that they go down the streams of the sins of their own day, while they fancy that they should have opposed the sins of former days. We sometimes think, if we had lived when Christ was upon earth, that we should not have despised and rejected him, as men then did; yet Christ in his Spirit, in his word, in his ministers, is still no better treated. And it is just with God to give those up to their hearts' lusts, who obstinately persist in gratifying them. Christ gives men their true characters.
CONC:Blind Foolish Fools Gold Greater Holy Important Makes Ones Sacred Sanctified Sanctifies Sanctifieth Sanctifying Sanctuary Temple Whether
PREV:Blind Foolish Fools Gold Greater Holy Important Makes Ones Sacred Sanctified Sanctifies Sanctifieth Sanctifying Sanctuary Temple Whether
NEXT:Blind Foolish Fools Gold Greater Holy Important Makes Ones Sacred Sanctified Sanctifies Sanctifieth Sanctifying Sanctuary Temple Whether
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