Matthew 23:20
New International Version
Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

New Living Translation
When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it.

English Standard Version
So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

Berean Standard Bible
So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore the one having sworn by the altar swears by it and by all things that are upon it.

King James Bible
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

New King James Version
Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.

NASB 1995
“Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.

NASB 1977
“Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.

Amplified Bible
Therefore, whoever swears [an oath] by the altar, swears both by it and by everything [offered] on it.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it.

American Standard Version
He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

Contemporary English Version
Anyone who swears by the altar also swears by everything on it.

English Revised Version
He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
To swear an oath by the altar is to swear by it and by everything on it.

Good News Translation
So then, when a person swears by the altar, he is swearing by it and by all the gifts on it;

International Standard Version
Therefore, the one who swears an oath by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

Majority Standard Bible
So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

NET Bible
So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

New Heart English Bible
He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.

Webster's Bible Translation
Whoever therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things upon it.

Weymouth New Testament
He who swears by the altar swears both by it and by everything on it;

World English Bible
He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He therefore who swore by the altar, swears by it, and by all things on it;

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore the one having sworn by the altar swears by it and by all things that are upon it.

Young's Literal Translation
'He therefore who did swear by the altar, doth swear by it, and by all things on it;

Smith's Literal Translation
Therefore, he having sworn by the altar, swears by it, and by all above it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things that are upon it:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears by it, and by all that is on it.

New American Bible
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;

New Revised Standard Version
So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Therefore he who swears by the altar, he swears by it and by everything that is on it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Whoever swears therefore by the altar swears by it and by everything that is upon it.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears by it, and by all that is on it.

Godbey New Testament
Therefore the one swearing by the altar, swears by it, and by all things which are on it.

Haweis New Testament
Whosoever therefore sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things that are upon it.

Mace New Testament
whoever swears by the altar, swears not only by the altar, but by every thing upon it.

Weymouth New Testament
He who swears by the altar swears both by it and by everything on it;

Worrell New Testament
He, therefore, who swears by the altar swears by it and by all things on it;

Worsley New Testament
He then, that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it and by all things upon it:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to Scribes and Pharisees
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. 21And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:33-37
Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ / But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; / or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ...

James 5:12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

Hebrews 6:16
Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.

Matthew 15:4-6
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,’ / he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Mark 7:10-13
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), / he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother. ...

Exodus 20:7
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Leviticus 19:12
You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Numbers 30:2
If a man makes a vow to the LORD or swears an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word; he must do everything he has promised.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23
If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to keep it, because He will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin. / But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin. / Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. / It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?

Jeremiah 7:4
Do not trust in deceptive words, saying: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’

Jeremiah 7:9-11
Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods that you have not known, / and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’? / Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I too have seen it, declares the LORD.

Zechariah 5:3-4
Then he told me, “This is the curse that is going out over the face of all the land, for according to one side of the scroll, every thief will be removed; and according to the other side, every perjurer will be removed. / I will send it out, declares the LORD of Hosts, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of him who swears falsely by My name. It will remain inside his house and destroy it, down to its timbers and stones.”

Malachi 1:14
“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.


Treasury of Scripture

Whoever therefore shall swear by the altar, swears by it, and by all things thereon.

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Altar Oath Swear Sweareth Swears Thereon
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.














So then, he who swears by the altar
In the context of Matthew 23, Jesus is addressing the scribes and Pharisees, critiquing their legalistic and hypocritical practices. The altar in the Jewish temple was central to worship and sacrifice, symbolizing the place where offerings were made to God. Swearing by the altar implies invoking something sacred, yet the religious leaders had developed intricate rules about which oaths were binding. This reflects a misunderstanding of true devotion and integrity, as seen in Matthew 5:33-37, where Jesus teaches about the importance of honesty without the need for oaths.

swears by it and by everything on it.
The altar was not just a physical structure but a place of consecration where sacrifices were offered to God. Everything on the altar, including the sacrifices, was considered holy. By swearing by the altar and its offerings, one is invoking the sacredness of the entire sacrificial system. This highlights the interconnectedness of the altar and the offerings, emphasizing that one cannot separate the physical from the spiritual significance. This principle is echoed in Hebrews 13:10, where the altar is seen as a type of Christ's ultimate sacrifice, underscoring the importance of sincerity and reverence in worship.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this passage, addressing the scribes and Pharisees, highlighting their hypocrisy and misunderstanding of the law.

2. Scribes and Pharisees
Jewish religious leaders known for their strict adherence to the law and traditions, often criticized by Jesus for their hypocrisy.

3. The Altar
A sacred place in the temple where sacrifices were offered to God, symbolizing worship and devotion.

4. Jerusalem
The city where the temple was located, central to Jewish worship and the setting for Jesus' teachings in this chapter.

5. The Temple
The holy place in Jerusalem where the altar was located, representing God's presence among His people.
Teaching Points
Understanding the Sacred
Recognize the significance of sacred objects and places, such as the altar, and how they point to deeper spiritual truths.

Integrity in Speech
Emphasize the importance of honesty and integrity in our words, reflecting a heart aligned with God's truth.

Hypocrisy vs. True Worship
Examine our own lives for areas of hypocrisy, ensuring that our external actions match our internal devotion to God.

Reverence for God
Cultivate a deep reverence for God in all aspects of life, understanding that our actions and words are seen by Him.

The New Covenant
Reflect on the transition from the old covenant, represented by the temple and altar, to the new covenant in Christ, who is our ultimate sacrifice.Verse 20. - Sweareth by it, etc. One can see what an inveterate evil our Lord was denouncing, when he takes such pains to point out its absurdities, which seem to us self-evident. The oath by the altar involves the notion of the victim as well as the altar; one cannot be separated from the other; and, of course, implies him to whom the offering is made.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So then,
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

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

swears
ὀμόσας (omosas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3660: A prolonged form of a primary, but obsolete omo, for which another prolonged form omoo is used in certain tenses; to swear, i.e. Take oath.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative 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
θυσιαστηρίῳ (thysiastēriō)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2379: An altar (for sacrifice). From a derivative of thusia; a place of sacrifice, i.e. An altar.

swears
ὀμνύει (omnyei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3660: A prolonged form of a primary, but obsolete omo, for which another prolonged form omoo is used in certain tenses; to swear, i.e. Take oath.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

it
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

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

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

everything
πᾶσι (pasi)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

on
ἐπάνω (epanō)
Preposition
Strong's 1883: From epi and ano; up above, i.e. Over or on.

it.
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 23:20 He therefore who swears by the altar (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 23:19
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