Matthew 23:3
New International Version
So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

New Living Translation
So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.

English Standard Version
so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

Berean Standard Bible
So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Berean Literal Bible
therefore keep and observe all things whatsoever they might tell you. But do not do according to their works, for they preach and do not act.

King James Bible
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

New King James Version
Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.

NASB 1995
therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

NASB 1977
therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them.

Legacy Standard Bible
therefore all that they tell you, do and keep, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

Amplified Bible
so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.

American Standard Version
all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Everything therefore that they will tell you to observe, observe and do, but you should not do according to their works, for they are saying, and they are not doing.

Contemporary English Version
So obey everything they teach you, but don't do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.

Douay-Rheims Bible
All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say, and do not.

English Revised Version
all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So be careful to do everything they tell you. But don't follow their example, because they don't practice what they preach.

Good News Translation
So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don't practice what they preach.

International Standard Version
So do whatever they tell you and follow it, but stop doing what they do, because they don't do what they say.

Literal Standard Version
all, then, as much as they may say to you to observe, observe and do, but according to their works do not do, for they say, and do not do;

Majority Standard Bible
So observe and practice everything they tell you to observe. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

New American Bible
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.

NET Bible
Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach.

New Revised Standard Version
therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.

New Heart English Bible
All which they will say unto you, observe and do; but their works do not do, because they say, and do not do.

Webster's Bible Translation
All therefore, whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not ye according to their works: for they say, and do not.

Weymouth New Testament
Therefore do and observe everything that they command you; but do not imitate their lives, for though they tell others what to do, they do not do it themselves.

World English Bible
All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do.

Young's Literal Translation
all, then, as much as they may say to you to observe, observe and do, but according to their works do not, for they say, and do not;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to Scribes and Pharisees
2“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.…

Cross References
Matthew 23:2
"The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

Matthew 23:4
They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Romans 2:21
you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?


Treasury of Scripture

All therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not.

whatsoever.

Matthew 15:2-9
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread…

Exodus 18:19,20,23
Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: …

Deuteronomy 4:5
Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.

for.

Matthew 21:30
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Psalm 50:16-20
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? …

Romans 2:19-24
And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, …

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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.














(3) All therefore whatsoever . . .--Followed, as the words are, by repeated protests against special and grave errors in the teaching of the Pharisees, it is obvious that they must be received with an implied limitation. So far as they really sit in Moses' seat, and set forth his teaching--as, e.g., the scribe had done whose answer has been just recorded--they were to be followed with all obedience. That which was wanting was the life, without which even the highest maxims of morality became but the common-places of rhetorical declamation. It was one thing to "draw fine pictures of virtue," and another to bring thought and word and deed into conformity with them.

Verse 3. - All therefore. It is because of their official authority as appointed teachers and expositors of the Law that Christ gives the following injunction. That observe and do. Many manuscripts and versions invert the order of the verbs, reading, do and observe. The received text seems most logical. Observe; τηρεῖτε, present imperative, continue to observe as a rule of conduct. Do; ποιήσατε, aorist, do immediately, whenever the occasion arises. All that they taught or commanded out of the Law, or in due accordance therewith, was to be observed and obeyed. The statement is made in general terms, but was conditional and restricted by other considerations. It was only their official injunctions, derived immediately from Scripture, not their glosses, evasions, and interpretations, that were to be regarded with respect. The Lord had already taken occasion to warn against these errors (see Matthew 16:6, 11, 12, etc.). As inheritors of the authority of Moses, and speaking ex cathedra, they were so far worthy of respect. This principle laid down, Christ proceeds to denounce their evil practices. After their works. You must distinguish between their preaching and their practice; the latter is to be shunned with all care. The scribes are never accused of corrupting the sacred text, which, indeed, was scrupulously guarded, and kept pure and unaltered. It was their treatment of the doctrines thereof that was censured. Our Lord shows their evil example in two particulars - their principle was "words, not deeds" (ver. 4), and ostentation in religion (vers. 5-7). They say, and do not. They enunciated the Law, they enjoined obedience to it in the minutest particulars, and yet they themselves continually, in the most important points (ver. 23), infringed, neglected, evaded it. St. Paul, himself a strict Pharisee, denounces in stern language such inconsistent professors (Romans 2:21-23).

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

practice
ποιήσατε (poiēsate)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

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

observe
τηρεῖτε (tēreite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 5083: From teros; to guard, i.e. To note; by implication, to detain; by extension, to withhold; by extension, to withhold.

everything
πάντα (panta)
Adjective - Accusative 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.

they tell
εἴπωσιν (eipōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

you.
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

{do} not
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

do
ποιεῖτε (poieite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

what
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

they
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
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.

do,
ἔργα (erga)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

for
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

they do not practice
ποιοῦσιν (poiousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

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

they preach.
λέγουσιν (legousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 23:3 All things therefore whatever they tell you (Matt. Mat Mt)
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