Matthew 23:18
16 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!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’
- KJV
- And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
- WEB
- And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’
- ASV
- And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is a debtor.
- DARBY
- And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it is a debtor.
- BLB
- And [you say], ‘Whoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gift that [is] upon it is bound by his oath.’
- ÅB
- Og dere sier: ‘Om noen sverger ved alteret er det ingen ting, men om noen sverger ved offergaven som ligger på det er han bundet.’
- OTB
- Og dere sier: ‘Hvis noen sverger ved alteret, betyr det ingenting; men hvis noen sverger ved gaven på alteret, er de bundet av den eden.’
- B1930
- Og: Om nogen sverger ved alteret, det er intet; men den som sverger ved den offergave som ligger på det, han er bundet.