Matthew 23:15

Translations

Modern

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

Traditional

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Literal

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you traverse the sea and the dry land to make one convert, and when he might become one, you make him twofold more a son of Gehenna than yourselves.

Latin

Væ vobis scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia circuitis mare, et aridam, ut faciatis unum proselytum, et cum fuerit factus, facitis eum filium gehennæ duplo quam vos.

Original

Greek

English

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

Notes

Matthew 23:15

A convert (proselyte) fully accepted Judaism by performing ceremonies like baptism, sacrifice, and circumcision (see Acts 13:43).
A convert differed from a "God-fearer." A God-fearer was a person who accepted some Jewish beliefs, especially monotheism (belief in one God), without fully converting to Judaism (see Luke 7:4–5; Acts 10:2). To win a single convert likely means persuading God-fearers to fully convert by becoming circumcised (compare Galatians 2:3, 14; 5:2–12; 6:12–13).
of hell: The Greek word here is Gehenna. It was a valley outside Jerusalem used as a place of burning; See study note on Matthew 5:29.

Matthew 23:13–36

Matthew gathered seven warnings of sorrow to come (literally woe to you) inspired by similar Old Testament lists (Isaiah 5:8–23; Habakkuk 2:6–20). Matthew arranged them to reach a climax with the killing of the prophets.

Theme notes and profiles

Jewish Leaders The Pharisees Legalism Religious Hypocrisy

Events

Related verses

Ephesians 2:3
All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.
Acts 13:43
After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 13:10
…and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
Galatians 6:12
Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.
Acts 14:2
But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Galatians 4:17
Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
Acts 17:5–6
The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.
Matthew 5:22
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
Acts 2:10
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,
Esther 8:17
In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
Acts 17:13
But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.

Parallels

Luke 11:37–54

People

Pharisee: A strict Jewish sect known for legalism and hypocrisy

Glossary

Curse, Cursed Gehenna Gospel of Matthew Hell Jesus Christ, Teachings of Proselyte Scribe Son of Man Tradition

Topics

All Christians should be As Missionaries: The Zeal of Hypocrites should Provoke To Church: Corruption In Ecclesiasticism: Jewish, Rebuked by Jesus Hell in the RV the Greek Word |Gehenna| is Translated |Hell| in the Following Scriptures Hypocrisy: General Scriptures Concerning Hypocrites: Zealous in Making Proselytes Pharisees: Hypocrisy of, Reproved by Jesus Proselytes: Pharisees, Zealous in Making Satire of Jesus Against Hypocrites Scribes: Modern: Condemned by Christ for Hypocrisy Spiritual Food Teachers: False: Admonition Against The Pharisees: Character of Active in Proselytising The Pharisees: Christ: Denounced Woes Against Titles and Names of the Wicked: Children of Hell Zeal: Ungodly Men Sometimes Pretend To

Matthew 23:15

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Translations

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Notes

Events

Related verses

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Glossary

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