Matthew 23:16-24

23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. ¹  But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ 23:17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 23:18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. ²  But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ 23:19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 23:20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 23:21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 23:22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.

23:23 “Woe to you, experts in the law ³  and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth ⁴  of mint, dill, and cumin, ⁵  yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You ⁶  should have done these things without neglecting the others. 23:24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! ⁷ 

[23:16]  ¹ tn Grk “Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing.”

[23:18]  ² tn Grk “Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing.”

[23:23]  ³ tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[23:23]  ⁴ tn Or “you tithe mint.”

[23:23]  ⁵ sn Cumin (alternately spelled cummin) was an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region. Its seeds were used for seasoning.

[23:23]  ⁶ tc ‡ Many witnesses (B C K L W Δ 0102 33 565 892 pm) have δέ (de, “but”) after ταῦτα (tauta, “these things”), while many others lack it (א D Γ Θ Ë^1,13 579 700 1241 1424 pm). Since asyndeton was relatively rare in Koine Greek, the conjunction may be an intentional alteration, and is thus omitted from the present translation. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[23:24]  ⁷ tn Grk “Blind guides who strain out a gnat yet who swallow a camel!”