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You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. <a href="/nlt/matthew/23.htm">New Living Translation</a> “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. <a href="/esv/matthew/23.htm">English Standard Version</a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. <a href="/bsb/matthew/23.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> 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. <a href="/blb/matthew/23.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like tombs having been whitewashed, which indeed outwardly appear beautiful, but inside they are full of bones of the dead, and of all impurity. <a href="/kjv/matthew/23.htm">King James Bible</a> 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. <a href="/nkjv/matthew/23.htm">New King James Version</a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. <a href="/nasb_/matthew/23.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. <a href="/nasb/matthew/23.htm">NASB 1995</a> &#8220Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men&#8217s bones and all uncleanness. <a href="/nasb77/matthew/23.htm">NASB 1977 </a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. <a href="/lsb/matthew/23.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. <a href="/amp/matthew/23.htm">Amplified Bible</a> “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. <a href="/csb/matthew/23.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. <a href="/hcsb/matthew/23.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> &#8220Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men&#8217s bones and every impurity. <a href="/asv/matthew/23.htm">American Standard Version</a> Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. <a href="/cev/matthew/23.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> You Pharisees and teachers are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You're like tombs that have been whitewashed. On the outside they are beautiful, but inside they are full of bones and filth. <a href="/erv/matthew/23.htm">English Revised Version</a> Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. <a href="/gwt/matthew/23.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> "How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed graves that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people's bones and every kind of impurity. <a href="/gnt/matthew/23.htm">Good News Translation</a> "How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside. <a href="/isv/matthew/23.htm">International Standard Version</a> "How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people's bones and every kind of impurity. <a href="/msb/matthew/23.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> 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. <a href="/net/matthew/23.htm">NET Bible</a> "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. <a href="/nheb/matthew/23.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead people's bones, and of all uncleanness. <a href="/wbt/matthew/23.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like whitened sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. <a href="/wey/matthew/23.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are just like whitewashed sepulchres, the outside of which pleases the eye, though inside they are full of dead men's bones and of all that is unclean. <a href="/web/matthew/23.htm">World English Bible</a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/matthew/23.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you are like to whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful, and within are full of bones of dead men, and of all uncleanness; <a href="/blb/matthew/23.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like tombs having been whitewashed, which indeed outwardly appear beautiful, but inside they are full of bones of the dead, and of all impurity. <a href="/ylt/matthew/23.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> 'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye are like to whitewashed sepulchres, which outwardly indeed do appear beautiful, and within are full of bones of dead men, and of all uncleanness; <a href="/slt/matthew/23.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like whitewashed tombs, which without indeed appear beautiful, but within are full of the bones of the dead, and of all uncleanness.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/matthew/23.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness. <a href="/cpdv/matthew/23.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed sepulchers, which outwardly appear brilliant to men, yet truly, inside, they are filled with the bones of the dead and with all filth. <a href="/nabre/matthew/23.htm">New American Bible</a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. <a href="/nrsvce/matthew/23.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth.<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/matthew/23.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like tombs painted white, which look beautiful from the outside, but inside are full of dead bones and all kinds of corruption. <a href="/aramaic-plain-english/matthew/23.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a> Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, pretenders, who are like white tombs, which from the outside appear lovely, but from within are full of the bones of the dead and all corruption!<div class="vheading2">NT Translations</div><a href="/anderson/matthew/23.htm">Anderson New Testament</a> Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitened sepulchers, which without appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. <a href="/godbey/matthew/23.htm">Godbey New Testament</a> <FR>Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you are like whitened sepulchers, which are beautiful indeed externally, but within they are full of the hones of the dead people, and every impurity.<Fr> <a href="/haweis/matthew/23.htm">Haweis New Testament</a> Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye resemble tombs whitewashed, which outwardly indeed appear specious, but within are full of dead men?s bones, and all manner of impurity. <a href="/mace/matthew/23.htm">Mace New Testament</a> wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye are like whited sepulchres, which to outward appearance are fine, but within are full of dead mens bones, and all sort of filth. <a href="/wey/matthew/23.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are just like whitewashed sepulchres, the outside of which pleases the eye, though inside they are full of dead men's bones and of all that is unclean. <a href="/worrell/matthew/23.htm">Worrell New Testament</a> <FR>"Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye are like white-washed sepulchres, which outwardly, indeed, appear beautiful, but within are full of bones of the dead and of all uncleanness.<Fr> <a href="/worsley/matthew/23.htm">Worsley New Testament</a> <FR>Wo unto you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites; who are like whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful without, but within are full of the bones of the dead, and all <Fr>manner of<FR> filthiness;<Fr> <a href="/parallel/matthew/23-27.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hriiyJYqzvc?start=6914" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/matthew/23.htm">Woes to Scribes and Pharisees</a> …26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. 27<a href="/greek/3759.htm" title="3759: Ouai (I) -- Woe!, alas!, uttered in grief or denunciation. A primary exclamation of grief; woe.">Woe</a> <a href="/greek/4771.htm" title="4771: hymin (PPro-D2P) -- You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.">to you,</a> <a href="/greek/1122.htm" title="1122: grammateis (N-VMP) -- From gramma. A writer, i.e. scribe or secretary.">scribes</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/5330.htm" title="5330: Pharisaioi (N-VMP) -- Of Hebrew origin; a separatist, i.e. Exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary.">Pharisees,</a> <a href="/greek/5273.htm" title="5273: hypokritai (N-VMP) -- From hupokrinomai; an actor under an assumed character, i.e. a dissembler">you hypocrites!</a> <a href="/greek/3754.htm" title="3754: hoti (Conj) -- Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because."></a> <a href="/greek/3945.htm" title="3945: paromoiazete (V-PIA-2P) -- To resemble, be like. From paromoios; to resemble.">You are like</a> <a href="/greek/2867.htm" title="2867: kekoniamenois (V-RPM/P-DMP) -- To whitewash, plaster over. From konia; to whitewash.">whitewashed</a> <a href="/greek/5028.htm" title="5028: taphois (N-DMP) -- A burial-place, sepulcher, tomb, grave. Masculine from thapto; a grave.">tombs,</a> <a href="/greek/3748.htm" title="3748: hoitines (RelPro-NMP) -- Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever. ">which</a> <a href="/greek/3303.htm" title="3303: men (Conj) -- A primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession; usually followed by a contrasted clause with de."></a> <a href="/greek/5316.htm" title="5316: phainontai (V-PIM/P-3P) -- Prolongation for the base of phos; to lighten, i.e. Show.">look</a> <a href="/greek/5611.htm" title="5611: hōraioi (Adj-NMP) -- Fair, beautiful, blooming. From hora; belonging to the right hour or season, i.e. flourishing (figuratively).">beautiful</a> <a href="/greek/1855.htm" title="1855: exōthen (Adv) -- (a) from outside, from without, (b) outside, both as adj. and prep; with article: the outside. From exo; external(-ly).">on the outside,</a> <a href="/greek/1161.htm" title="1161: de (Conj) -- A primary particle; but, and, etc.">but</a> <a href="/greek/2081.htm" title="2081: esōthen (Adv) -- From eso; from inside; also used as equivalent to eso.">on the inside</a> <a href="/greek/1073.htm" title="1073: gemousin (V-PIA-3P) -- To be full of. A primary verb; to swell out, i.e. Be full.">are full</a> <a href="/greek/3498.htm" title="3498: nekrōn (Adj-GMP) -- (a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. From an apparently primary nekus; dead.">of dead men’s</a> <a href="/greek/3747.htm" title="3747: osteōn (N-GNP) -- A bone. Or contracted ostoun of uncertain affinity; a bone.">bones</a> <a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/3956.htm" title="3956: pasēs (Adj-GFS) -- All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.">every kind of</a> <a href="/greek/167.htm" title="167: akatharsias (N-GFS) -- Uncleanness, impurity. From akathartos; impurity, physically or morally.">impurity.</a> 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/luke/11-44.htm">Luke 11:44</a> Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.” <a href="/ezekiel/37-1.htm">Ezekiel 37:1-14</a> The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. / He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry. / Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.” ... <a href="/acts/23-3.htm">Acts 23:3</a> Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.” <a href="/1_samuel/16-7.htm">1 Samuel 16:7</a> But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.” <a href="/isaiah/29-13.htm">Isaiah 29:13</a> Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men. <a href="/romans/2-28.htm">Romans 2:28-29</a> A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. / No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God. <a href="/2_timothy/3-5.htm">2 Timothy 3:5</a> having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these! <a href="/revelation/3-1.htm">Revelation 3:1</a> “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead. <a href="/proverbs/26-23.htm">Proverbs 26:23-26</a> Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. / A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. / When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. ... <a href="/isaiah/58-1.htm">Isaiah 58:1-2</a> “Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins. / For day after day they seek Me and delight to know My ways, like a nation that does what is right and does not forsake the justice of their God. They ask Me for righteous judgments; they delight in the nearness of God.” <a href="/jeremiah/7-4.htm">Jeremiah 7:4-11</a> Do not trust in deceptive words, saying: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ / For if you really correct your ways and deeds, if you act justly toward one another, / if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm, ... <a href="/1_peter/3-3.htm">1 Peter 3:3-4</a> Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. <a href="/ezekiel/13-10.htm">Ezekiel 13:10-16</a> Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built, / tell those whitewashing the wall that it will fall. Rain will come in torrents, I will send hailstones plunging down, and a windstorm will burst forth. / Surely when the wall has fallen, you will not be asked, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?’ ... <a href="/matthew/15-7.htm">Matthew 15:7-9</a> You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: / ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’” <a href="/2_corinthians/11-13.htm">2 Corinthians 11:13-15</a> For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like to white washed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.like.<a href="/isaiah/58-1.htm">Isaiah 58:1,2</a> Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins… <a href="/luke/11-44.htm">Luke 11:44</a> Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.<a href="/acts/23-3.htm">Acts 23:3</a> Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?sepulchres.<a href="/numbers/19-16.htm">Numbers 19:16</a> And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.<div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/genesis/23-6.htm">Aces</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Alas</a> <a href="/matthew/17-3.htm">Appear</a> <a href="/matthew/13-45.htm">Beautiful</a> <a href="/zephaniah/3-3.htm">Bones</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Curse</a> <a href="/matthew/22-32.htm">Dead</a> <a href="/matthew/20-15.htm">Eye</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">False.</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Full</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Hypocrites</a> <a href="/matthew/22-8.htm">Indeed</a> <a href="/matthew/23-26.htm">Inside</a> <a href="/matthew/7-15.htm">Inwardly</a> <a href="/matthew/23-23.htm">Law</a> <a href="/matthew/23-19.htm">Ones</a> <a href="/matthew/23-26.htm">Outside</a> <a href="/ezekiel/44-1.htm">Outward</a> <a href="/hebrews/9-13.htm">Outwardly</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Pharisees</a> <a href="/amos/4-5.htm">Pleases</a> <a href="/daniel/4-21.htm">Resting-Places</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Scribes</a> <a href="/nehemiah/3-16.htm">Sepulchers</a> <a href="/isaiah/65-4.htm">Sepulchres</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Teachers</a> <a href="/matthew/8-28.htm">Tombs</a> <a href="/matthew/17-18.htm">Unclean</a> <a href="/zechariah/13-1.htm">Uncleanness</a> <a href="/matthew/17-2.htm">White</a> <a href="/ezekiel/22-28.htm">Whited</a> <a href="/acts/23-3.htm">Whitewashed</a> <a href="/matthew/23-26.htm">Within</a> <a href="/matthew/23-25.htm">Woe</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/genesis/23-6.htm">Aces</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Alas</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Appear</a> <a href="/matthew/26-10.htm">Beautiful</a> <a href="/luke/24-39.htm">Bones</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Curse</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Dead</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Eye</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">False.</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Full</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Hypocrites</a> <a href="/matthew/25-33.htm">Indeed</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Inside</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Inwardly</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Law</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Ones</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Outside</a> <a href="/romans/2-28.htm">Outward</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Outwardly</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Pharisees</a> <a href="/john/3-8.htm">Pleases</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Resting-Places</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Scribes</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Sepulchers</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Sepulchres</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Teachers</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Tombs</a> <a href="/matthew/24-15.htm">Unclean</a> <a href="/john/18-28.htm">Uncleanness</a> <a href="/matthew/28-3.htm">White</a> <a href="/acts/23-3.htm">Whited</a> <a href="/acts/23-3.htm">Whitewashed</a> <a href="/matthew/23-28.htm">Within</a> <a href="/matthew/23-29.htm">Woe</a><div class="vheading2">Matthew 23</div>1. <a href="/matthew/23-1.htm">Jesus admonishes the people to follow good doctrine, not bad examples</a> 5. <a href="/matthew/23-5.htm">His disciples must beware of their ambition.</a> 13. <a href="/matthew/23-13.htm">He denounces eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness,</a> 34. <a href="/matthew/23-34.htm">and prophesies of the destruction of Jerusalem.</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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This phrase is a direct rebuke from Jesus to the religious leaders of His time. The term "woe" is a strong expression of judgment and lament. The scribes and Pharisees were respected for their knowledge of the Law and their religious practices, yet Jesus calls them "hypocrites," indicating a discrepancy between their outward actions and inward intentions. This critique aligns with Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, who condemned similar hypocrisy (<a href="/isaiah/29-13.htm">Isaiah 29:13</a>).You are like whitewashed tombs, In ancient Jewish culture, tombs were often whitewashed to make them visible and prevent ritual impurity from accidental contact. This practice was especially common before Passover. The whitewashing made the tombs appear clean and pure, yet they contained death and decay. This metaphor highlights the contrast between the Pharisees' outward appearance of righteousness and their inner corruption.which look beautiful on the outside The Pharisees maintained an appearance of piety and adherence to the Law, which was admired by the people. This external beauty is symbolic of their religious rituals and public displays of devotion. However, Jesus emphasizes that external appearances can be deceiving, a theme echoed in <a href="/1_samuel/16-7.htm">1 Samuel 16:7</a>, where God looks at the heart rather than outward appearances.but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. This imagery of death and impurity signifies spiritual decay and moral corruption. In Jewish law, contact with a dead body rendered a person ceremonially unclean (<a href="/numbers/19-11.htm">Numbers 19:11-16</a>). Jesus uses this metaphor to illustrate the spiritual state of the Pharisees, who, despite their outward religious observance, were spiritually dead and impure. This internal corruption is contrasted with the purity and life that Jesus offers, as seen in His teachings on the heart and inner transformation (<a href="/matthew/5-8.htm">Matthew 5:8</a>, <a href="/john/3-3.htm">John 3:3</a>).<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/j/jesus_christ.htm">Jesus Christ</a> The speaker of this verse, addressing the religious leaders of His time with a strong rebuke. 2. <a href="/topical/s/scribes.htm">Scribes</a> Jewish scholars and teachers of the Law, responsible for interpreting and teaching the Scriptures. 3. <a href="/topical/p/pharisees.htm">Pharisees</a> A religious and political group known for strict adherence to the Law and traditions, often criticized by Jesus for their hypocrisy. 4. <a href="/topical/w/whitewashed_tombs.htm">Whitewashed Tombs</a> A metaphor used by Jesus to describe the outward appearance of righteousness that conceals inner corruption. 5. <a href="/topical/j/jerusalem.htm">Jerusalem</a> The city where Jesus delivered this discourse, a central place for Jewish worship and religious authority.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/t/the_danger_of_hypocrisy.htm">The Danger of Hypocrisy</a> Hypocrisy is a serious sin that Jesus condemns. It involves pretending to be something we are not, especially in matters of faith. <a href="/topical/o/outward_appearance_vs._inner_reality.htm">Outward Appearance vs. Inner Reality</a> True righteousness is not about external appearances but about the condition of the heart. We must seek inner transformation through the Holy Spirit. <a href="/topical/s/self-examination.htm">Self-Examination</a> Regular self-examination is crucial for spiritual growth. We should ask God to reveal areas of our lives where we may be like "whitewashed tombs." <a href="/topical/a/authentic_faith.htm">Authentic Faith</a> Our faith should be genuine and reflected in our actions. We are called to live out our beliefs consistently and transparently. <a href="/topical/t/the_call_to_repentance.htm">The Call to Repentance</a> Jesus' rebuke is also an invitation to repentance. We must turn away from hypocrisy and seek a sincere relationship with God.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_matthew_23.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Matthew 23</a> <a href="/q/what_did_jesus_mean_by_'whitewashed_tombs'.htm">What did Jesus mean by "whitewashed tombs"?</a> <a href="/q/what_does_'take_the_plank_out'_mean.htm">What did Jesus mean by 'whitewashed tombs'?</a> <a href="/q/what_do_televangelist_scandals_teach.htm">What lessons do televangelist scandals teach us?</a> <a href="/q/do_they_appear_godly_but_deny_power.htm">Do they have a form of godliness but deny power?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/matthew/23.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(27) Ye are like unto whited sepulchres.--Contact with a sepulchre brought with it ceremonial uncleanness, and all burial-places were accordingly white-washed once a year, on the 15th day of the month Adar--i.e., about the beginning of March--that passers-by might be warned by them, as they were of the approach of a leper by his cry, "Unclean, unclean!" (<a href="/leviticus/13-45.htm" title="And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bore, and he shall put a covering on his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.">Leviticus 13:45</a>). The word translated "whited," means literally, "smeared with lime powder"--i.e., "whitewashed," in the modern technical sense of the word. It should be noticed that the similitude in <a href="/luke/11-44.htm" title="Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.">Luke 11:44</a> is drawn from the graves that were not whitened, or from which the whitewash had been worn away, and over which men passed without knowing of their contact with corruption. Some have thought, indeed, that this passage also refers to graves which had lost the coat of whitewash, and were "beautiful with grass and flowers." It seems hardly likely, however, that the perfect participle would be used to describe such a state of things, and it is more probable, looking to the date above given, that our Lord pointed to some tombs that were shining in their new whiteness.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/matthew/23.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verses 27, 28. - Seventh woe - against another form of the same hypocrisy (<a href="/luke/11-44.htm">Luke 11:44</a>). Whited (κεκονιαμένοις) sepulchres. Once a year, about the fifteenth of the month Adar, the Jews used to whitewash the tombs and the places where corpses were buried, partly out of respect for the dead, but chiefly in order to make them conspicuous, and thus to obviate the risk of persons incautiously contracting ceremonial defilement by touching or walking over them (<a href="/numbers/19-16.htm">Numbers 19:16</a>). To such sepulchres our Lord compares these Pharisees, because their outwardly fair show concealed rottenness within (comp. <a href="/acts/23-3.htm">Acts 23:3</a>). Indeed, it might be said that their seeming exceptional purity was a warning of internal corruption, a sign post to point to hidden defilement. Obtrusive religiousness, emphatic scrupulosity, are marks of pride and self-righteousness, utterly alien from real devotion and holiness. <a href="/commentaries/matthew/23-27.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div>Woe Οὐαὶ (Ouai) Interjection <a href="/greek/strongs_3759.htm">Strong's 3759: </a> Woe!, alas!, uttered in grief or denunciation. A primary exclamation of grief; 'woe'. to you, ὑμῖν (hymin) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_4771.htm">Strong's 4771: </a> You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. scribes γραμματεῖς (grammateis) Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_1122.htm">Strong's 1122: </a> From gramma. A writer, i.e. scribe or secretary. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> And, even, also, namely. Pharisees, Φαρισαῖοι (Pharisaioi) Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_5330.htm">Strong's 5330: </a> Of Hebrew origin; a separatist, i.e. Exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary. you hypocrites! ὑποκριταί (hypokritai) Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_5273.htm">Strong's 5273: </a> From hupokrinomai; an actor under an assumed character, i.e. a dissembler You are like παρομοιάζετε (paromoiazete) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3945.htm">Strong's 3945: </a> To resemble, be like. From paromoios; to resemble. whitewashed κεκονιαμένοις (kekoniamenois) Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_2867.htm">Strong's 2867: </a> To whitewash, plaster over. From konia; to whitewash. tombs, τάφοις (taphois) Noun - Dative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_5028.htm">Strong's 5028: </a> A burial-place, sepulcher, tomb, grave. Masculine from thapto; a grave. which οἵτινες (hoitines) Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3748.htm">Strong's 3748: </a> Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever. look φαίνονται (phainontai) Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_5316.htm">Strong's 5316: </a> Prolongation for the base of phos; to lighten, i.e. Show. beautiful ὡραῖοι (hōraioi) Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_5611.htm">Strong's 5611: </a> Fair, beautiful, blooming. From hora; belonging to the right hour or season, i.e. flourishing (figuratively). on the outside, ἔξωθεν (exōthen) Adverb <a href="/greek/strongs_1855.htm">Strong's 1855: </a> (a) from outside, from without, (b) outside, both as adj. and prep; with article: the outside. From exo; external(-ly). but δὲ (de) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_1161.htm">Strong's 1161: </a> A primary particle; but, and, etc. on the inside ἔσωθεν (esōthen) Adverb <a href="/greek/strongs_2081.htm">Strong's 2081: </a> From eso; from inside; also used as equivalent to eso. are full γέμουσιν (gemousin) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_1073.htm">Strong's 1073: </a> To be full of. A primary verb; to swell out, i.e. Be full. of dead [men’s] νεκρῶν (nekrōn) Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3498.htm">Strong's 3498: </a> (a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. From an apparently primary nekus; dead. bones ὀστέων (osteōn) Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3747.htm">Strong's 3747: </a> A bone. Or contracted ostoun of uncertain affinity; a bone. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> And, even, also, namely. every πάσης (pasēs) Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3956.htm">Strong's 3956: </a> All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole. impurity. ἀκαθαρσίας (akatharsias) Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_167.htm">Strong's 167: </a> Uncleanness, impurity. From akathartos; impurity, physically or morally. <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/matthew/23-27.htm">NT Gospels: Matthew 23:27 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees hypocrites! (Matt. Mat Mt) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/matthew/23-26.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Matthew 23:26"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Matthew 23:26" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/matthew/23-28.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Matthew 23:28"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Matthew 23:28" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>