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Tuesday, August 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Greek Modern Translation

Μαθθαῖον 23:13

Αλλ' ουαι εις εσας, γραμματεις και Φαρισαιοι, υποκριται, διοτι κατατρωγετε τας οικιας των χηρων και τουτο επι προφασει οτι καμνετε μακρας προσευχας· δια τουτο θελετε λαβει μεγαλητεραν καταδικην.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Ecclesiasticism;   Hypocrisy;   Minister, Christian;   Pharisees;   Satire;   Teachers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Helps-Hindrances;   Hypocrites;   Pharisaism;   Religion;   Religion, True-False;   Stumbling-Blocks;   The Topic Concordance - Hypocrisy;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hypocrites;   Pharisees, the;   Reproof;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Pharisees;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hypocrisy;   Kingdom of god;   Matthew, gospel of;   Meekness;   Teacher;   Tradition;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Anger;   Ethics;   Heaven, Heavens, Heavenlies;   Hypocrisy;   Worship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pharisees;   Supralapsarians;   Worship of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Key;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Pharisees;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Keys;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   Salutation;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hypocrite;   Judas Iscariot;   Judging;   Scribes;   Sin;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Anger;   Anger (2);   Children of God;   Claim;   Courage;   Discourse;   Elect, Election ;   Error;   Ethics (2);   Hindrance;   Judgment;   Law of God;   Luke, Gospel According to;   Meekness (2);   Mental Characteristics;   Numbers;   Paradox;   Reality;   Sabbath ;   Sanctify, Sanctification;   Self-Control;   Woe;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Scribes;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Pharisee;   Scribe;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Pharisees;   Scribe;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Phar'isees,;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Pharisee;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Authority in Religion;   Genesis;   Hypocrisy;   Key;   Matthew, the Gospel of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hypocrisy;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for March 26;  

Parallel Translations

Byzantine/Majority Text
39 ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι οτι οτι την βασιλειαν των ουρανων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων υμεις γας ουκ εισερχεσθε ουδε τους εισερχομενους αφιετε εισελθειν
SBL Greek New Testament (2010)
Οὐαὶ ⸀δὲ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὑμεῖς γὰρ οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθε, οὐδὲ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἀφίετε ⸀εἰσελθεῖν. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι περιάγετε τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὴν ξηρὰν ποιῆσαι ἕνα προσήλυτον, καὶ ὅταν γένηται ποιεῖτε αὐτὸν υἱὸν γεέννης διπλότερον ὑμῶν. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοὶ οἱ λέγοντες· Ὃς ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ ναῷ, οὐδέν ἐστιν, ὃς δ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ χρυσῷ τοῦ ναοῦ ὀφείλει. μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί, τίς γὰρ μείζων ἐστίν, ὁ χρυσὸς ἢ ὁ ναὸς ὁ ⸀ἁγιάσας τὸν χρυσόν; καί· Ὃς ⸀ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, οὐδέν ἐστιν, ὃς δ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ δώρῳ τῷ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ ὀφείλει. ⸀τυφλοί, τί γὰρ μεῖζον, τὸ δῶρον ἢ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἁγιάζον τὸ δῶρον; ὁ οὖν ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ ⸀κατοικοῦντι αὐτόν· καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὀμνύει ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι ἀποδεκατοῦτε τὸ ἡδύοσμον καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον καὶ τὸ κύμινον, καὶ ἀφήκατε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν καὶ ⸂τὸ ἔλεος⸃ καὶ τὴν πίστιν· ⸀ταῦτα ἔδει ποιῆσαι κἀκεῖνα μὴ ⸀ἀφιέναι. ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, ⸀οἱ διϋλίζοντες τὸν κώνωπα τὴν δὲ κάμηλον καταπίνοντες. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι καθαρίζετε τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς καὶ ⸀ἀκρασίας. Φαρισαῖε τυφλέ, καθάρισον πρῶτον τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ποτηρίου ⸂καὶ τῆς παροψίδος⸃, ἵνα γένηται καὶ τὸ ἐκτὸς ⸀αὐτοῦ καθαρόν. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι ⸀παρομοιάζετε τάφοις κεκονιαμένοις, οἵτινες ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνονται ὡραῖοι ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ὀστέων νεκρῶν καὶ πάσης ἀκαθαρσίας· οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνεσθε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δίκαιοι, ἔσωθεν δέ ⸂ἐστε μεστοὶ⸃ ὑποκρίσεως καὶ ἀνομίας. Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων, καὶ λέγετε· Εἰ ⸀ἤμεθα ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ⸁ἤμεθα ⸂αὐτῶν κοινωνοὶ⸃ ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν· ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας. καὶ ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν. ὄφεις γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς φύγητε ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τῆς γεέννης; διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς· ⸀ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε καὶ σταυρώσετε, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν· ὅπως ἔλθῃ ἐφ ὑμᾶς πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυννόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἅβελ τοῦ δικαίου ἕως τοῦ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου, ὃν ἐφονεύσατε μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου. ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ⸀ἥξει ⸂ταῦτα πάντα⸃ ἐπὶ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην. Ἰερουσαλὴμ Ἰερουσαλήμ, ἡ ⸀ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ⸂ὄρνις ἐπισυνάγει⸃ τὰ νοσσία ⸀αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε; ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ⸀ἔρημος. λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, οὐ μή με ἴδητε ἀπ ἄρτι ἕως ἂν εἴπητε· Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου.
Tischendorf 8th Edition
Οὐαὶ δὲ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὑμεῖς γὰρ οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθε, οὐδὲ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἀφίετε εἰσελθεῖν.
Textus Receptus (1550/1894)
ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι κλειετε την βασιλειαν των ουρανων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων υμεις γας ουκ εισερχεσθε ουδε τους εισερχομενους αφιετε εισελθειν
Westcott/Hort UBS4 (1881)
ουαι δε υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι κλειετε την βασιλειαν των ουρανων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων υμεις γαρ ουκ εισερχεσθε ουδε τους εισερχομενους αφιετε εισελθειν

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

woe: Matthew 23:14, Matthew 23:15, Matthew 23:27, Matthew 23:29, Isaiah 9:14, Isaiah 9:15, Isaiah 33:14, Zechariah 11:17, Luke 11:43, Luke 11:44

for ye shut: Matthew 21:31, Matthew 21:32, Luke 11:52, John 7:46-52, John 9:22, John 9:24, John 9:34, Acts 4:17, Acts 4:18, Acts 5:28, Acts 5:40, Acts 8:1, Acts 13:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:16, 2 Timothy 3:8, 2 Timothy 4:15

Reciprocal: Numbers 13:32 - brought Ezra 7:11 - a scribe Nehemiah 8:1 - Ezra Isaiah 10:1 - Woe Isaiah 50:7 - I set Jeremiah 23:1 - Woe Ezekiel 13:3 - Woe Ezekiel 16:23 - woe Ezekiel 23:36 - declare Ezekiel 34:7 - General Ezekiel 34:18 - to have Hosea 7:13 - Woe Zechariah 11:3 - a voice Zechariah 11:16 - which Malachi 3:2 - who may abide Matthew 3:2 - for Matthew 3:7 - the Pharisees Matthew 6:2 - as Matthew 7:13 - at Matthew 10:7 - The Matthew 11:21 - Woe Matthew 16:3 - O ye Matthew 16:12 - but Matthew 18:7 - but Matthew 27:1 - all Mark 7:6 - hypocrites Mark 10:2 - the Pharisees Luke 6:42 - hypocrite Luke 11:42 - woe Luke 13:15 - Thou hypocrite Luke 19:39 - rebuke John 1:24 - were of John 7:32 - Pharisees heard Acts 13:10 - wilt Acts 13:45 - spake Acts 17:13 - the Jews

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,.... It seems from hence, that the Scribes and Pharisees had not left him, at least not all of them, notwithstanding the confusion they were thrown into; but were still about him, observing what he said to the people, and watching an opportunity to take every advantage against him; whom he addresses in a very awful manner, calling them "hypocrites", as he truly might; for they were such, both to God and men: he had detected them already before the people, in several instances of hypocrisy; and gives sufficient reasons, in the following part of this chapter, to support the character, he gives of them, and his charge against them; denouncing a woe upon them in this world, and that which is to come, no less than eight times; expressing his abhorrence of their wickedness, his commiseration of their case, and their certain destruction: "for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men": not eternal life and happiness, the entrance into which can neither be opened nor shut by men: those whom God determines to bring thither, shall have an entrance abundantly ministered to them, in spite of the opposition of men and devils; though these men did all that in them lay, to hinder persons enjoying everlasting glory. But the Gospel dispensation is here meant, which opened by the ministry of John the Baptist, Christ and his disciples, and which the Scribes and Pharisees did all they could to shut; by discouraging the preaching of the Gospel, and the administration of ordinances, in which this dispensation lay; and prejudicing the minds of men against it, that they might not embrace the doctrines of it, nor submit to its ordinances: they, by their office, ought to have opened and explained the Scriptures, the prophecies of the Old Testament relating to the Messiah, and led the people into a knowledge of the mysteries of his kingdom, and encouraged them to enter into this new state of things; which, according to the true intent of Scripture, was to take place, and now did: but instead of this, they shut up the Scriptures, took away the key of knowledge, and laid it aside; and darkened the Scriptures by their false glosses, and obliged the people to observe the traditions of the elders, and which they call סיג לתורה, "an hedge for the law" w; to which Beza thinks, the allusion is here, and by which men were shut up, and kept from the true knowledge both of law and Gospel:

for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in: they neither believed in the Messiah themselves, nor embraced the doctrines relating to his person and office: have any of the Pharisees believed on him? No; they received him not, they rejected him, and also the counsel of God, against themselves, not being baptized with the baptism of John, the forerunner of Christ; nor would they suffer others, that were inclined to profess their faith in him, and be baptized, to do it; but discouraged them all they could, by their reproachful treatment of the person, miracles, and ministry of Christ, and by their threatenings and menaces, and by their excommunications of such as made a confession of him.

w Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Woe unto you - You are guilty, and punishment will come upon you. Jesus proceeds to state wherein they were guilty. This most eloquent, most appalling, and most terrible of all discourses ever delivered to mortals was pronounced in the temple, in the presence of multitudes. Never was there more faithful dealing, more terrible reproof, more profound knowledge of the workings of hypocrisy, or more skill in detecting the concealments of sin. This was the last of the Saviour’s public discourses; and it is a most impressive summary of all that he had ever said, or that he had to say, of a wicked and hypocritical generation.

Scribes and Pharisees - See the notes at Matthew 3:7.

Hypocrites - Note, Matthew 6:2.

Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven - Note, Matthew 3:2. They shut it up by teaching false doctrines respecting the Messiah; by binding the people to an observance of their traditions; by opposing Jesus, and attempting to convince the people that he was an impostor, thus preventing many from becoming his followers. Many were ready to embrace him as the Messiah, and were about entering into the kingdom of heaven - that is, the church - but they prevented it. Luke says Luke 11:52 they had taken away the key of knowledge, and thus prevented their entering in - that is, they had taken away the right interpretation of the ancient prophecies respecting the Messiah, and thus had done all that they could to prevent the people from receiving Jesus as their Redeemer.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 23:13-14. Wo unto you, scribes — I think the fourteenth and thirteenth verses should be transposed. This transposition is authorized by some of the best MSS., versions, and fathers. The fourteenth is wanting in the BDL., and in many others of inferior note, as well as in several of the versions. Griesbach has left it out of the text, in his first edition; I hesitated, and left it in, thus transposed. I am happy to find that a more extensive collation of MSS., c., afforded proof to that eminent critic that it should be restored to its place. In the second edition, he has transposed the two, just as I had done. The fifteenth reads best after the thirteenth.

-Verse Matthew 23:13. Ye shut up the kingdom — As a key by opening a lock gives entrance into a house, c., so knowledge of the sacred testimonies, manifested in expounding them to the people, may be said to open the way into the kingdom of heaven. But where men who are termed teachers are destitute of this knowledge themselves, they may be said to shut this kingdom because they occupy the place of those who should teach, and thus prevent the people from acquiring heavenly knowledge.

In ancient times the rabbins carried a key, which was the symbol or emblem of knowledge. Hence it is written in Semachoth, chap. 8.," When Rab. Samuel the little died, his key and his tablets were hung on his tomb, because he died childless." See Schoettgen.

The kingdom of heaven here means the Gospel of Christ the Pharisees would not receive it themselves, and hindered the common people as far as they could.


 
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