Keraia
Matthew 23

Matthew 23:27

Woes to Scribes and Pharisees · Matthew 23:1–36
Read Matthew 23

Translations

Modern
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.
Traditional
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Literal
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed on the outside appear beautiful, but on the inside they are full of bones of the dead and of all uncleanness.
Latin
Væ vobis scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis, quæ a foris parent hominibus speciosa, intus vero pleni sunt ossibus mortuorum, et omni spurcitia!

Original

Greek
English
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.

Notes

Matthew 23:27–28

Jewish people used to coat limestone tombs, like funerary urns or ossuaries, with a mixture of marble and lime. This filled the holes and made the tombs look nicer. It also helped visitors to Jerusalem see and avoid them, preventing contamination. Jesus did not criticize decorating tombs. Instead, he compared these whitewashed tombs to Jewish religious teachers and Pharisees. Both looked good on the outside but had contamination and impurity on the inside.

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.

Events

Parallels

Luke 11:37–54

People

Pharisee: A strict Jewish sect known for legalism and hypocrisy

Glossary

Burial, Burial Customs Cleanness and Uncleanness, Regulations Concerning Curse, Cursed Gehenna Gospel of Matthew Hell Jesus Christ, Teachings of Outward Man Scribe Son of Man Tradition

Topics

Burial: Burying Places: Painted and Garnished Burial: Tombs Erected Over Church: Corruption In Ecclesiasticism: Jewish, Rebuked by Jesus Hypocrisy: General Scriptures Concerning Hypocrites: Illustrated Name Calling Pharisees: Hypocrisy of, Reproved by Jesus Physical Beauty Satire of Jesus Against Hypocrites Self-Righteousness is Vain Because Our Righteousness Is: but External Self-Righteousness: Denunciation Against Teachers: False: Admonition Against The Pharisees: Christ: Compared, to Whited Sepulchres The Pharisees: Christ: Denounced Woes Against The Wicked are Compared to Whited Sepulchres Wicked (People): Compared With: Whited Gravesites