Matthew 23:17

New Revised Standard

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

Contemporary English Version
You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold 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?

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

¹³ "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.' How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'" ¹⁴Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. ¹⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. ¹⁶ "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.' ¹⁷ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? ¹⁸ And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.' ¹⁹ How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; ²¹ and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; ²² and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.

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 rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land.

Genesis 23:10
Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city,

Genesis 23:14
Ephron answered Abraham,

Genesis 23:20
The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.

Genesis 25:9
His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre,

Genesis 50:13
They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham bought as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite.

Psalms 112:5
It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.

Matthew 10:16
"See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Acts 7:16
and their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

Ephesians 5:15
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise,

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.