Matthew 23:19
New International Version
You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

New Living Translation
How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

English Standard Version
You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

Berean Standard Bible
You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

Berean Literal Bible
Blind! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar sanctifying the gift?

King James Bible
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

New King James Version
Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

New American Standard Bible
You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

NASB 1995
“You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

NASB 1977
“You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

Legacy Standard Bible
You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

Amplified Bible
You [spiritually] blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

Christian Standard Bible
Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

American Standard Version
Ye blind: for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Contemporary English Version
Are you blind? Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

English Revised Version
Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?

Good News Translation
How blind you are! Which is the more important, the gift or the altar which makes the gift holy?

International Standard Version
You blind men! Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?

Majority Standard Bible
You are foolish and blind! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?

NET Bible
You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

New Heart English Bible
You blind people. For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye fools, and blind: for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Weymouth New Testament
"You are blind! Why, which is greater? --the offering, or the altar which makes the offering holy?

World English Bible
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Fools and blind! For which [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that is sanctifying the gift?

Berean Literal Bible
Blind! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar sanctifying the gift?

Young's Literal Translation
Fools and blind! for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that is sanctifying the gift?

Smith's Literal Translation
Foolish and blind: for which is the greater, the gift, or the altar, consecrating the gifts?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Catholic Public Domain Version
How blind you are! For which is greater: the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

New American Bible
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

New Revised Standard Version
How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O you fools and blind! for which is greater, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Fools and blind! for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Godbey New Testament
Ye blind: for which is the greater, the gift, or the altar which sanctifies the gift?

Haweis New Testament
Ye fools and blind! which is the greater, the gift, or the altar which consecrates the gift?

Mace New Testament
ye blind fools, which is most sacred, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

Weymouth New Testament
"You are blind! Why, which is greater? --the offering, or the altar which makes the offering holy?

Worrell New Testament
Ye blind! for which is greater?the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Worsley New Testament
O foolish and blind! for which is greater, the gift, or the altar which sanctifieth the gift?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to Scribes and Pharisees
18And 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.’ 19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred? 20So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:23-24
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, / leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 15:3-6
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,’ ...

Mark 7:9-13
He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition. / For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ / But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), ...

Luke 11:42
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.

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.

John 2:13-16
When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. / In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. / So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ...

Acts 7:48-50
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: / ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be? / Has not My hand made all these things?’

Romans 2:22-23
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?

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? / If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; / you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

Hebrews 9:1-5
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. / A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place. / Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, ...

Hebrews 9:11-14
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation. / He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption. / For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, ...

Hebrews 10:1-4
For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. / If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins. / Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, ...

1 Peter 1:18-19
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, / but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

Revelation 21:22
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.


Treasury of Scripture

You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

or.

Exodus 29:37
Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.

Exodus 30:29
And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

Jump to Previous
Altar Blind Fools Gift Greater Holy Important Makes Offering Ones Sacred Sanctifies Sanctifieth Sanctifying Whether
Jump to Next
Altar Blind Fools Gift Greater Holy Important Makes Offering Ones Sacred Sanctifies Sanctifieth Sanctifying Whether
Matthew 23
1. Jesus admonishes the people to follow good doctrine, not bad examples
5. His disciples must beware of their ambition.
13. He denounces eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness,
34. and prophesies of the destruction of Jerusalem.














You blind men!
This phrase is a direct rebuke from Jesus, highlighting the spiritual blindness of the religious leaders. The Greek word for "blind" is "τυφλοί" (typhloi), which metaphorically refers to a lack of understanding or insight. In the context of first-century Judaism, the Pharisees and scribes were seen as spiritual guides, yet Jesus exposes their inability to perceive the true essence of God's commandments. This blindness is not physical but spiritual, indicating a deeper ignorance of God's will and the heart of the law.

Which is greater
Here, Jesus poses a rhetorical question to challenge the priorities and values of the religious leaders. The Greek word for "greater" is "μείζων" (meizōn), suggesting a comparison of importance or value. This question forces the Pharisees to reconsider their misplaced emphasis on external rituals over internal devotion. It is a call to discern what truly holds weight in the eyes of God, urging a return to the heart of worship rather than mere ceremonial observance.

the gift
The "gift" refers to offerings or sacrifices brought to the temple. In the Jewish tradition, these gifts were acts of worship and devotion, often seen as a means to gain favor with God. However, Jesus points out that the value of the gift is not inherent but is derived from its association with the altar. The Greek word for "gift" is "δῶρον" (dōron), which can also mean a present or offering. This highlights the tendency of the religious leaders to focus on the material aspects of worship rather than the spiritual significance behind them.

or the altar
The "altar" is central to Jewish worship, serving as the place where sacrifices are made to God. The Greek word "θυσιαστήριον" (thysiastērion) refers to this sacred structure. Historically, the altar was seen as a meeting point between God and man, a place of atonement and reconciliation. By questioning the relative importance of the altar and the gift, Jesus emphasizes the altar's role in sanctifying the offering, pointing to the deeper spiritual truths that the religious leaders have overlooked.

that makes it sacred?
The phrase "makes it sacred" underscores the transformative power of the altar. The Greek word "ἁγιάζω" (hagiazō) means to sanctify or set apart as holy. This indicates that the altar, as a symbol of God's presence and covenant, imparts holiness to the gift. Jesus is teaching that the true sanctity of worship comes not from the external act itself but from its connection to God. This challenges the Pharisees to recognize that their focus should be on the divine relationship rather than the ritualistic details.

Verse 19. - Our Lord repeats the unanswerable argument of ver. 17. That sanctifieth the gift. Exodus 29:37. "It shall be an altar most holy; whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy" (comp. Ezekiel 41:22). The offering is one with the altar.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
You blind men!
τυφλοί (typhloi)
Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5185: Blind, physically or mentally. From, tuphoo; opaque, i.e. blind.

Which
τί (ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101: Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

[is] greater:
μεῖζον (meizon)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

gift,
δῶρον (dōron)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1435: A gift, present. A present; specially, a sacrifice.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

altar
θυσιαστήριον (thysiastērion)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2379: An altar (for sacrifice). From a derivative of thusia; a place of sacrifice, i.e. An altar.

that makes it sacred?
ἁγιάζον (hagiazon)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 37: From hagios; to make holy, i.e. purify or consecrate; to venerate.


Links
Matthew 23:19 NIV
Matthew 23:19 NLT
Matthew 23:19 ESV
Matthew 23:19 NASB
Matthew 23:19 KJV

Matthew 23:19 BibleApps.com
Matthew 23:19 Biblia Paralela
Matthew 23:19 Chinese Bible
Matthew 23:19 French Bible
Matthew 23:19 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Matthew 23:19 You blind fools! (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 23:18
Top of Page
Top of Page