Matthew 23:12

Easy-to-Read Version

People who think they are better than others will be made humble. But people who humble themselves will be made great.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

King James Version (1611)
And whosoeuer shall exalt himselfe, shall be abased: and he that shall humble himselfe, shall be exalted.

King James Version
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

English Standard Version
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

New American Standard Bible
"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

New Century Version
Whoever makes himself great will be made humble. Whoever makes himself humble will be made great.

Amplified Bible
"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Legacy Standard Bible
And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Berean Standard Bible
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Contemporary English Version
If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.

Complete Jewish Bible
for whoever promotes himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be promoted.

Darby Translation
And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For whosoeuer will exalt himselfe, shall be brought lowe: and whosoeuer will humble himselfe, shalbe exalted.

George Lamsa Translation
For whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Good News Translation
Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great.

Lexham English Bible
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Literal Translation
And whoever will exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever will humble himself shall be exalted.

American Standard Version
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Bible in Basic English
And whoever makes himself high will be made low, and whoever makes himself low will be made high.

Hebrew Names Version
Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.

International Standard Version
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.Job 1:22:29; Proverbs 15:33; 29:23; Luke 14:11; 18:14; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For whosoever will exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever will abase himself shall be exalted.

Murdock Translation
For whoever shall] exalt himself, will be abased: and whoever shall abase himself, will be exalted.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But whosoeuer exalteth hym selfe, shalbe brought lowe: And he that humbleth hym selfe, shalbe exalted.

English Revised Version
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

World English Bible
Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be humbled, and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted.

Weymouth's New Testament
and one who exalts himself shall be abased, while one who abases himself shall be exalted.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For he that hieth himself, schal be mekid; and he that mekith hym silf, schal be enhaunsid.

Update Bible Version
And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Webster's Bible Translation
And whoever shall exalt himself, shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted.

New English Translation
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

New King James Version
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

New Living Translation
But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

New Life Bible
The person who thinks he is important will find out how little he is worth. The person who is not trying to honor himself will be made important.

New Revised Standard
All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, whoever shall exalt himself, shall be, abased, and, whoever shall abase himself, shall be, exalted,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Revised Standard Version
whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But whosoever exalteth himsilfe shalbe brought lowe. And he yt hubleth himsilfe shalbe exalted.

Young's Literal Translation
and whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For who so exalteth himself, shal be brought lowe: and he that humbleth himself, shalbe exalted.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for whosoever exalts himself, shall be abased; and he that humbles himself, shall be exalted.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Whoever tries to rise above others will be thrown down and whoever lowers himself will be raised up.

Contextual Overview

¹ Then Jesus spoke to the people and to his followers. He said, ² "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees have the authority to tell you what the Law of Moses says. ³ So you should obey them. Do everything they tell you to do. But their lives are not good examples for you to follow. They tell you to do things, but they don't do those things themselves. ⁴ They make strict rules that are hard for people to obey. They try to force others to obey all their rules. But they themselves will not try to follow any of those rules. ⁵ "The only reason they do what they do is for other people to see them. They make the little Scripture boxes they wear bigger and bigger. And they make the tassels on their prayer clothes long enough for people to notice them. ⁶ These men love to have the places of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues. ⁷ They love for people to show respect to them in the marketplaces and to call them ‘Teacher.' ⁸ "But you must not be called ‘Teacher.' You are all equal as brothers and sisters. You have only one Teacher. ⁹ And don't call anyone on earth ‘Father.' You have one Father. He is in heaven. ¹⁰ And you should not be called ‘Master.' You have only one Master, the Messiah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Matthew 5:3, Matthew 18:4, Job 22:29, Psalms 138:6, Proverbs 15:33, Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 16:19, Proverbs 29:23, Isaiah 57:15, Daniel 4:37, Luke 1:51, Luke 1:52, Luke 14:11, Luke 18:14, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:41 - humbled Isaiah 2:12 - upon Ezekiel 31:10 - Because Luke 9:48 - he that James 4:10 - he 1 Peter 5:6 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 18:2
He looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw the men, he ran to them and bowed before them.

Genesis 19:1
That evening the two angels came to the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting near the city gates and saw them. He got up and went to them. He bowed to show respect and said, "Sirs, please come to my house, and I will serve you. There you can wash your feet and stay the night. Then tomorrow you can continue your journey." The angels answered, "No, we will stay the night in the city square."

Genesis 23:7
Abraham got up and bowed to the people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And whosoever shall exalt himself,.... Above his fellow Christians, or fellow ministers, by entertaining too high an opinion of himself, by boasting of his gifts, as preferable to others, and as if he had not received them; by assuming, or eagerly coveting titles of honour among men, or by affecting honour that do not belong to him, or, abusing what he has: "shall be abased"; or humbled by God, or men, or both; such shall lose the honour they have, and come greatly short of what they are ambitious of; they shall fall into disgrace with men, and are abominable in the sight of God: "and he that shall humble himself"; by entertaining low thoughts, and a mean opinion of himself, behaving modestly among men; not being elated with his gifts, but acknowledging that they are owing to the grace and goodness of God; and using them in an humble manner, for, the advantage of others; not coveting honour from men, nor lifted up with what is conferred on him: "shall be exalted"; by God, or men, or both; if not in this world, yet in the world to come: and indeed, generally speaking, such modest, humble, persons, are most esteemed among men; and God gives more grace unto them, and will at last give them glory. This is a saying, often used by our Lord on different accounts, both with respect to his disciples, for their instruction, and with regard to the scribes and Pharisees, for their mortification; see Luke 14:11. It seems to be a proverbial expression, and much in use among the Jews: it is said in so many words in the Talmud u, as here;

"whosoever shall humble himself, the holy blessed God shall exalt him; and whosoever shall exalt himself, the holy blessed God shall humble him.''

u T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 13. 2. & 54. 1. & Nedarim, fol. 55. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 20:26.

He that shall humble himself ... - God will exalt or honor him that is humble, and that seeks a lowly place among people. That is true religion, and God will reward it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 23:12. Whosoever shall exalt himself, c.] The way to arrive at the highest degree of dignity, in the sight of God, is by being willing to become the servant of all. Nothing is more hateful in his sight than pride to bring it into everlasting contempt, God was manifest in the flesh. He who was in the likeness of God took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and humbled himself unto death. After this, can God look upon any proud man without abasing him? Spiritual lordship and domination, ecclesiastical luxury, pomp, and pride, must be an abhorrence in the sight of that God who gave the above advices to his followers.

Another lesson, which our blessed Lord teaches here, is, that no man is implicitly to receive the sayings, doctrines, and decisions of any man, or number of men, in the things which concern the interests of his immortal soul. Christ, his Spirit, and his word, are the only infallible teachers. Every man who wishes to save his soul must search the Scriptures, by prayer and faith. Reader, take counsel with the pious; hear the discourses of the wise and holy: but let the book of God ultimately fix thy creed.