Luke 11:42
New International Version
“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

New Living Translation
“What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

English Standard Version
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Berean Standard Bible
Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

Berean Literal Bible
But woe to you Pharisees, for you pay tithes of mint and rue and every herb; and you pass by justice and the love of God. But it behooved you to do these things, and those not to neglect.

King James Bible
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

New King James Version
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

New American Standard Bible
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every kind of garden herb, and yet you ignore justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

NASB 1995
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

NASB 1977
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

Legacy Standard Bible
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God, but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

Amplified Bible
“But woe (judgment is coming) to you Pharisees, because you [self-righteously] tithe mint and rue and every [little] garden herb [tending to all the minutiae], and yet disregard and neglect justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done, without neglecting the others.

Christian Standard Bible
“But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others.

American Standard Version
But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Contemporary English Version
You Pharisees are in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your gardens, such as mint and rue. But you cheat people, and you don't love God. You should be fair and kind to others and still give a tenth to God.

English Revised Version
But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over judgment and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"How horrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give [God] one-tenth of your mint, spices, and every garden herb. But you have ignored justice and the love of God. You should have done these things without ignoring the others.

Good News Translation
"How terrible for you Pharisees! You give to God one tenth of the seasoning herbs, such as mint and rue and all the other herbs, but you neglect justice and love for God. These you should practice, without neglecting the others.

International Standard Version
"How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, spices, and every kind of herb, but you neglect justice and the love of God. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others.

Majority Standard Bible
Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

NET Bible
"But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, rue, and every herb, yet you neglect justice and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others.

New Heart English Bible
But woe to you Pharisees. For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Webster's Bible Translation
But woe to you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint, and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others undone.

Weymouth New Testament
"But alas for you Pharisees! for you pay tithes on your mint and rue and every kind of garden vegetable, and are indifferent to justice and the love of God. These are the things you ought to have attended to, while not neglecting the others.

World English Bible
But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
But woe to you, the Pharisees, because you tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb, and you pass by the judgment and the love of God; these things [you] should do, and those not to be neglecting.

Berean Literal Bible
But woe to you Pharisees, for you pay tithes of mint and rue and every herb; and you pass by justice and the love of God. But it behooved you to do these things, and those not to neglect.

Young's Literal Translation
'But woe to you, the Pharisees, because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb, and ye pass by the judgment, and the love of God; these things it behoveth to do, and those not to be neglecting.

Smith's Literal Translation
But woe to you, Pharisees! for ye tithe spearmint and rue and every plant, and ye pass by the judgment and love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to have left those.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But woe to you, Pharisees, because you tithe mint and rue and every herb; and pass over judgment, and the charity of God. Now these things you ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But woe to you, Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you ignore judgment and the charity of God. But these things you ought to have done, without omitting the others.

New American Bible
Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others.

New Revised Standard Version
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But woe to you Pharisees! who take tithes of mint and dill and every kind of vegetable, but overlook justice and the love of God. These were necessary for you to have done, and the same by no means to have left undone.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“But woe to you Pharisees, for you tithe mint and dill and every herb and you pass over justice and over the love of God, but these it was necessary for you to do and not that you should forsake the other!”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But alas for you, Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass by the justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, and those you ought not to have left undone.

Godbey New Testament
But woe unto you, Pharisees! because you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and you pass by judgment and the love of God: it behooveth to do these things, and not to omit those.

Haweis New Testament
But wo to you, Pharisees, because ye tithe mint, and rue, and every herb, and pass by judgment and the love of God. These ought ye to have done, and not to have omitted the other.

Mace New Testament
but wo unto you Pharisees: for you will pay the tythes of mint, and rue, and all sorts of herbs, but as for justice and true piety, those you neglect, these you ought to have practised, without omitting however the other.

Weymouth New Testament
"But alas for you Pharisees! for you pay tithes on your mint and rue and every kind of garden vegetable, and are indifferent to justice and the love of God. These are the things you ought to have attended to, while not neglecting the others.

Worrell New Testament
"But woe to you Pharisees! because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb; but ye pass by judgment and the love of God. Now these things it was needful to do, and not to leave those undone.

Worsley New Testament
But wo unto you pharisees, who tithe even your mint, and rue, and all your herbs, and pass by judgement and the love of God: these ought ye to practise and not to omit the others.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to Religious Leaders
41But give as alms the things that are within you, and you will see that everything is clean for you. 42 Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former. 43Woe to you Pharisees! You love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.…

Cross References
Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Amos 5:21-24
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. ...

Matthew 5:20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:7
If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Isaiah 1:11-17
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. / When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? / Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. ...

Mark 12:33
and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

Matthew 6:1-2
“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. / So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

Zechariah 7:9-10
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Administer true justice. Show loving devotion and compassion to one another. / Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’

Matthew 15:3-9
Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? / For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ / But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ ...

Romans 2:21-23
you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? / You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? / You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Proverbs 21:3
To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.


Treasury of Scripture

But woe to you, Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

woe.

Matthew 23:13,23,27
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in…

for.

Luke 18:12
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

and pass.

Deuteronomy 10:12,13
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, …

1 Samuel 15:22
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Proverbs 21:3
To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

and not.

Leviticus 27:30-33
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD…

2 Chronicles 31:5-10
And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly…

Nehemiah 10:37
And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

Jump to Previous
Alas Attended Disregard Garden Herb Herbs Indifferent Judgment Justice Kind Love Manner Mint Neglecting Others Ought Pay Pharisees Tithe Tithes Undone Vegetable Woe
Jump to Next
Alas Attended Disregard Garden Herb Herbs Indifferent Judgment Justice Kind Love Manner Mint Neglecting Others Ought Pay Pharisees Tithe Tithes Undone Vegetable Woe
Luke 11
1. Jesus teaches us to pray, and that instantly;
11. assuring us that God will give all good things to those who ask him.
14. He, casting out a demon, rebukes the blasphemous Pharisees;
27. and shows who are blessed;
29. preaches to the people;
37. and reprimands the outward show of holiness.














Woe to you Pharisees!
The word "woe" in Greek is "ouai," a term expressing deep distress or lamentation. It is often used by Jesus to pronounce judgment or sorrow over those who are spiritually blind or hypocritical. The Pharisees were a religious group known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and their own traditions. Jesus' use of "woe" here is a strong rebuke, highlighting the seriousness of their spiritual condition. Historically, the Pharisees were influential in Jewish society, often seen as the epitome of religious piety, yet Jesus exposes their hypocrisy.

You pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb
The act of tithing, or giving a tenth, was a commandment in the Mosaic Law, primarily concerning agricultural produce (Leviticus 27:30). The Pharisees extended this practice to even the smallest garden herbs like mint and rue, demonstrating their meticulousness in following the law. However, this focus on minor details often led to neglecting more significant moral and ethical obligations. The mention of "mint, rue, and every herb" underscores their obsession with outward religious observance rather than the heart of the law.

But you disregard justice and the love of God
"Disregard" in Greek is "parerchomai," meaning to pass by or neglect. The Pharisees' focus on minute legalistic details caused them to overlook the weightier matters of the law, such as justice and love. "Justice" (Greek: "krisis") refers to fairness and righteousness in dealing with others, a central theme in the Old Testament prophets. "The love of God" (Greek: "agape tou Theou") emphasizes a relational and covenantal love that God desires from His people. This phrase highlights the Pharisees' failure to embody the core principles of God's character and commandments.

You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former
Jesus acknowledges the importance of tithing, as it was part of the law, but He emphasizes that it should not overshadow the more critical aspects of faith. The phrase "practiced the latter" refers to justice and love, which are foundational to a life pleasing to God. "Without neglecting the former" suggests a balanced approach to faith, where both the letter and the spirit of the law are honored. This teaching aligns with the broader biblical narrative that prioritizes the heart's condition over mere ritualistic observance.

(42) Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint.--See Note on Matthew 23:23. Here, again, we note minor variations--"rue and all manner of herbs," for St. Matthew's "anise and cummin;" "judgment and the love of God," for "the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith"--sufficient to show independence.

Verse 42. - But woe unto you, Pharisees: for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Probably the primitive Law of Moses, which directed that a tenth of every income in Israel should be given up to the service of the invisible King alone, referred to such important products as corn, and wine, and oil, and the like; but the present elaboration of the Law and the Pharisee schools had extended the primitive obligation to the smallest garden herbs, such as mint and rue. The Talmud even condescends to discuss whether, in tithing the seeds of these garden herbs, the very stalk too ought not to be tithed! The Master, ever tender and considerate, does not blame this exaggerated scrupulosity, if it were done to satisfy even a warped and distorted conscience; what he does find fault with, though, and in the bitterest terms language can formulate, is the substitution of and the clear preference for these infinitely lower duties for the higher.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Woe
οὐαὶ (ouai)
Interjection
Strong's 3759: Woe!, alas!, uttered in grief or denunciation. A primary exclamation of grief; 'woe'.

to you
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

Pharisees!
Φαρισαίοις (Pharisaiois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5330: Of Hebrew origin; a separatist, i.e. Exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary.

You pay tithes of
ἀποδεκατοῦτε (apodekatoute)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 586: To take off (deduct) a tenth part (of my property) (and give it away), pay tithe. From apo and dekatoo; to tithe.

mint
ἡδύοσμον (hēdyosmon)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2238: Mint, peppermint. Neuter of the compound of the same as hedeos and osme; a sweet-scented plant, i.e. Mint.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

rue
πήγανον (pēganon)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4076: Rue, a plant used for flavoring or garnishing food. From pegnumi; rue.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

every
πᾶν (pan)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

herb,
λάχανον (lachanon)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3001: An herb, garden plant, vegetable. From lachaino; a vegetable.

but
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

you disregard
παρέρχεσθε (parerchesthe)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3928: From para and erchomai; to come near or aside, i.e. To approach, go by, perish or neglect, avert.

justice
κρίσιν (krisin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2920: Decision; by extension, a tribunal; by implication, justice.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

love
ἀγάπην (agapēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 26: From agapao; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast.

of God.
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

You should have
ἔδει (edei)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1163: Third person singular active present of deo; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is Necessary.

practiced
ποιῆσαι (poiēsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

[the latter]
ταῦτα (tauta)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

without
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

neglecting
παρεῖναι (pareinai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 3935: From para and hiemi; to let by, i.e. Relax.

[the former].
κἀκεῖνα (kakeina)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2548: And he, she, it, and that. From kai and ekeinos; likewise that.


Links
Luke 11:42 NIV
Luke 11:42 NLT
Luke 11:42 ESV
Luke 11:42 NASB
Luke 11:42 KJV

Luke 11:42 BibleApps.com
Luke 11:42 Biblia Paralela
Luke 11:42 Chinese Bible
Luke 11:42 French Bible
Luke 11:42 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Luke 11:42 But woe to you Pharisees! (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 11:41
Top of Page
Top of Page