Matthew 23:17

Contemporary English Version

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

King James Version (1611)
Ye fooles and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold?

King James Version
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

English Standard Version
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

New American Standard Bible
"You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

New Century Version
You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold or the Temple that makes that gold holy?

Amplified Bible
"You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the sanctuary of the temple that sanctified the gold?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

Legacy Standard Bible
You fools and blind men! For which is more important, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold?

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

Complete Jewish Bible
You blind fools! Which is more important? the gold? or the Temple which makes the gold holy?

Darby Translation
Fools and blind, for which is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?

Easy-to-Read Version
You are blind fools! Can't you see that the Temple is greater than the gold on it? It's the Temple that makes the gold holy!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the golde, or the Temple that sanctifieth the golde?

George Lamsa Translation
O you fools and blind! for which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

Good News Translation
Blind fools! Which is more important, the gold or the Temple which makes the gold holy?

Lexham English Bible
Fools and blind people! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy?

Literal Translation
Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold, or the Holy Place that sanctifies the gold?

American Standard Version
Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold?

Bible in Basic English
You foolish ones and blind: which is greater, the gold, or the Temple which makes the gold holy?

Hebrew Names Version
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

International Standard Version
You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the sanctuary that made the gold holy?Exodus 30:29;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
You senseless and blind ! for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Murdock Translation
Ye fools, and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ye fooles and blynde. For whether is greater, the golde, or the temple that sanctifieth the golde?

English Revised Version
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold?

World English Bible
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Ye fools and blind: for which is greater? The gold? Or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Weymouth's New Testament
"Blind fools! Why, which is greater? --the gold, or the Sanctuary which has made the gold holy?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ye foolis and blynde, for what is grettere, the gold, or the temple that halewith the gold?

Update Bible Version
You fools and blind men: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that has sanctified the gold?

Webster's Bible Translation
[Ye] fools, and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

New English Translation
Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?

New King James Version
Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies [fn] the gold?

New Living Translation
Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?

New Life Bible
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the house of God that makes the gold holy?

New Revised Standard
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Foolish and blind! for which is, greater, The gold, or the Temple that hath hallowed the gold?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Ye foolish and blind: for whether is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Revised Standard Version
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ye foles and blinde? whether is greater the golde or the teple that sanctifieth ye golde.

Young's Literal Translation
Fools and blind! for which [is] greater, the gold, or the sanctuary that is sanctifying the gold?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ye fooles and blynde, whether is greater? the golde, or the teple that sanctifieth the golde?

Mace New Testament (1729)
ye blind fools, which is most sacred, the treasure of the temple, or the temple that makes the treasure sacred?

Simplified Cowboy Version
You blind idiots! Which is more important: the gift, or the means by which the gift is made?

Contextual Overview

¹³You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You won't go in yourselves, and you keep others from going in. ¹⁵ You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You travel over land and sea to win one follower. And when you have done so, you make that person twice as fit for hell as you are. ¹⁶ You are in for trouble! You are supposed to lead others, but you are blind. You teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the temple. But you say that it does matter if someone swears by the gold in the temple. ¹⁷ You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? ¹⁸ You also teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the altar. But you say that it does matter if someone swears by the gift on the altar. ¹⁹ Are you blind? Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ Anyone who swears by the altar also swears by everything on it. ²¹ And anyone who swears by the temple also swears by God, who lives there. ²² To swear by heaven is the same as swearing by God's throne and by the one who sits on that throne. ²³ You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your garden, such as mint, dill, and cumin. Yet you neglect the more important matters of the Law, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the important things you should have done, though you should not have left the others undone either.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ye fools: Psalms 94:8

or: Matthew 23:19, Exodus 30:26-29, Numbers 16:38, Numbers 16:39

Reciprocal: Exodus 29:37 - it shall be an Exodus 30:29 - whatsoever Leviticus 21:18 - a blind man Psalms 53:4 - Have Ezekiel 44:19 - sanctify Zechariah 11:15 - a foolish Matthew 12:6 - General Matthew 23:16 - ye blind Luke 11:40 - fools

Cross-References

Genesis 23:7
Abraham bowed down

Genesis 23:10
Ephron was sitting there near the city gate, when Abraham made this request, and he answered,

Genesis 23:14
"But sir," the man replied, "the property is worth only four hundred pieces of silver. Why should we haggle over such a small amount? Take the land. It's yours."

Genesis 23:20
he had bought from the Hittites.

Genesis 25:9
His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him east of Hebron in Machpelah Cave that was part of the field Abraham had bought from Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. Abraham was buried there beside his wife Sarah.

Genesis 50:13
They took him to Canaan and buried him in Machpelah Cave, the burial place Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite.

Psalms 112:5
Life will go well for those who freely lend and are honest in business.

Matthew 10:16
I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Acts 7:16
Later their bodies were taken back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor.

Ephesians 5:15
Act like people with good sense and not like fools.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye fools, and blind,.... That argue after so ridiculous a manner, that make use of such thin sophistry, that everybody may see through it; who must be stupid and sottish to the last degree, and their minds foolishly blinded with avarice; as to please and satisfy themselves: with so poor a distinction; that would by no means serve them, but make against them:

for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? The temple, to be sure: for that was the seat of the divine majesty; built for him to dwell in, and in which he took up his residence; and was dedicated to his service, and in it was divine worship performed unto him. The temple was sanctified by the presence of God in it; and the gold sanctified by the temple, being devoted to the service of it: whatever holiness it had, it had it from the temple, and therefore the temple must be greater than that; and consequently it must be most extravagantly ridiculous and foolish in them, to make oaths by the gold of the temple, and gifts dedicated to its service, and on that score sanctified by it, more binding and sacred than such as were by the temple itself.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The temple that sanctifieth the gold - To sanctify is to make holy. The gold had no holiness but what it derived from the temple. If in any other place, it would be no more holy than any other gold. It was foolish, then, to suppose that that was more holy than the temple, from which it received all the sanctity which it possessed.