# Matthew 23.23

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 21. <span class="rl-speech">And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">And he that sweareth by the heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.</span>
>
> **23. <span class="rl-speech">Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.</span>**
>
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel!</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from extortion and excess.</span> (Matthew 23:21-25, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 21. <span class="rl-speech">He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who was living in it.</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.</span>
>
> **23. <span class="rl-speech">“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.</span>**
>
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.</span> (Matthew 23:21-25, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 21. <span class="rl-speech">And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.</span>
>
> **23. <span class="rl-speech">Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. <sup>anise: Gr. dill</sup></span>**
>
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.</span> (Matthew 23:21-25, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 21. <span class="rl-speech">and he who did swear by the sanctuary, doth swear by it, and by Him who is dwelling in it;</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">and he who did swear by the heaven, doth swear by the throne of God, and by Him who is sitting upon it.</span>
>
> **23. <span class="rl-speech">'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye give tithe of the mint, and the dill, and the cumin, and did neglect the weightier things of the Law, the judgment, and the kindness, and the faith; these it behoved [you] to do, and those not to neglect.</span>**
>
> 24. <span class="rl-speech">'Blind guides! who are straining out the gnat, and the camel are swallowing.</span> 25. <span class="rl-speech">'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye make clean the outside of the cup and the plate, and within they are full of rapine and incontinence.</span> (Matthew 23:21-25, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Cosmic Dictator Objection Defeater](/codex/cosmic-dictator-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 23.23-28](/codex/matthew-23-23-28/)

**Concepts:**

- [Atheism](/codex/atheism/), via [Matthew 23.23-28](/codex/matthew-23-23-28/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 23](/codex/matthew-23/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G1656 - eleos](/codex/g1656-eleos/)
- [G2920 - krisis](/codex/g2920-krisis/)
- [H8451 - torah](/codex/h8451-torah/)

**Passages:**

- [John 7.24](/codex/john-7-24/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.