Matthew 23:28
26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.
In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
- KJV
- Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
- WEB
- Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
- ASV
- Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
- DARBY
- Thus also *ye*, outwardly ye appear righteous to men, but within are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
- BLB
- Thus also on the outside you⁺ indeed appear righteous to men, but on the inside you⁺ are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
- ÅB
- Slik ser også dere rettferdige ut fra utsiden, for menneskene, men innvendig er dere fulle av hykleri og urettferdighet.
- OTB
- På samme måte ser dere rettferdige ut for folk, men inni er dere fulle av hykleri og lovløshet.
- B1930
- Således synes også I utvendig rettferdige for menneskene, men innvendig er I fulle av hykleri og urettferdighet.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Luke 16:15
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
Read in contextPsalms 51:6
Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Read in contextMatthew 23:5
All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
Read in contextMatthew 12:34–35
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Read in context1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
Read in contextMatthew 15:19–20
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
Read in contextMark 7:21–23
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
Read in contextHebrews 4:12–13
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Read in context