⭐WEB · Matthew 23:18
What does Matthew 23:18 mean?
"‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?’"
— Matthew 23:18 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.
“Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?’
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.
He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who has been living in it.
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