Devine Scripture

Matthew 23:16

What does Matthew 23:16 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 23:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 23:16 means

Jesus initiates the third woe, labeling the scribes and Pharisees as "blind guides." He exposes their twisted system of oaths, where they differentiate between swearing by the temple (deemed non-binding) and swearing by the gold of the temple (deemed binding). This distinction reveals their spiritual blindness and their prioritization of material gain over the sanctity of God's house. They manipulate religious vows for their own benefit, corrupting the very nature of truth-telling and worship.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

A curse is on you, blind guides, who say, Whoever takes an oath by the Temple, it is nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gold of the Temple, he is responsible.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`Woe to you, blind guides, who are saying, Whoever may swear by the sanctuary, it is nothing, but whoever may swear by the gold of the sanctuary--is debtor!

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Woe to you, blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple is a debtor.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Woe to you, blind guides, who say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.

Context

Following the woes on hindering access to the kingdom and corrupting proselytes, this verse introduces the third woe, directly accusing the scribes and Pharisees as "blind guides." It launches into a detailed critique of their distorted teaching on oaths, focusing initially on their distinction between the temple and its gold. This specific illustration of their spiritual blindness directly sets up the logical refutation and clarification of true sanctity in oaths that follows in verses 17-22.

v.15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves.

v.16This passage

v.17Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • John 9:39

    And Jesus said, For judgment came I into this world, that they that see not may see; and that they that see may become blind.

  • Matthew 15:14

    Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.

  • James 5:12

    But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment.

  • Matthew 23:26

    Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also.

  • Mark 7:10

    For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death:

  • Isaiah 56:10

    His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.

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