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?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

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

Douay-Rheims Bible
Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

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?

Literal Standard Version
Fools and blind! For which [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that is sanctifying the gift?

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

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

NET Bible
You are blind! For 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?

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?

Young's Literal Translation
Fools and blind! for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that is sanctifying 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
Exodus 29:37
For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will become most holy; whatever touches the altar will be holy.

Haggai 2:12
If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?'" "No," replied the priests.

Matthew 23:17
You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

Matthew 23:18
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.'

Matthew 23:20
So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.


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.

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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.














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.


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