Matthew

Matthew 23:2–7

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^a and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

⁵All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. ⁶They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, ⁷the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.^b

Footnotes

a 23:4 SBL, NE, and WH They tie up heavy loads
b 23:7 Literally and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by men

Read all of Matthew 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Matthew 23:2

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The	οἱ	hoi	Article - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
scribes	γραμματεῖς	grammateis	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G1122 a scribe, town-clerk, man of learning
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
Pharisees	Φαρισαῖοι	Pharisaioi	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G5330 a Pharisee
sit	ἐκάθισαν	ekathisan	Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2523 I set, make to sit
in	Ἐπὶ	Epi	Preposition	G1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
Moses’	Μωϋσέως	Mōuseōs	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G3475 Moses
seat	καθέδρας	kathedras	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G2515 a seat, chair

Matthew 23:3

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
practice	ποιήσατε	poiēsate	Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G4160 I do, make
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
observe	τηρεῖτε	tēreite	Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G5083 I keep, guard, observe
everything	πάντα	panta	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
they tell	εἴπωσιν	eipōsin	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2036 to speak or say (by word or writing)
you	ὑμῖν	hymin	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural	G4771 you
But	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
not	μὴ	mē	Adverb	G3361 not, lest
do	ποιεῖτε	poieite	Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural	G4160 I do, make
what	κατὰ	kata	Preposition	G2596 down from, against, according to, throughout, during
they	αὐτῶν	autōn	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
do	ἔργα	erga	Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G2041 work, labor, action, deed
for	γὰρ	gar	Conjunction	G1063 for
they do not practice	ποιοῦσιν	poiousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G4160 I do, make
what	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
they preach	λέγουσιν	legousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G3004 I say, speak

Matthew 23:4

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They tie up	δεσμεύουσιν	desmeuousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G1195 I bind, put in chains
heavy	βαρέα	barea	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural	G926 heavy, weighty, burdensome
burdensome	δυσβάστακτα	dysbastakta	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural	G1419 difficult to carry
loads	φορτία	phortia	Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G5413 a burden, freight
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
lay	ἐπιτιθέασιν	epititheasin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2007 I put, place upon, lay on
on	ἐπὶ	epi	Preposition	G1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
men’s	ἀνθρώπων	anthrōpōn	Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural	G444 a man, one of the human race
shoulders	ὤμους	ōmous	Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural	G5606 a shoulder
but	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
they themselves	αὐτοὶ	autoi	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Plural	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
are not willing	θέλουσιν	thelousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2309 I will, wish, desire
to lift a finger	δακτύλῳ	daktylō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G1147 a finger
to move	κινῆσαι	kinēsai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active	G2795 I move, stir, excite
them	αὐτά	auta	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Plural	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same

Matthew 23:5

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
All	Πάντα	Panta	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
their	αὐτῶν	autōn	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
deeds	ἔργα	erga	Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G2041 work, labor, action, deed
are done	ποιοῦσιν	poiousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G4160 I do, make
for	πρὸς	pros	Preposition	G4314 to, towards, with
men	ἀνθρώποις	anthrōpois	Noun - Dative Masculine Plural	G444 a man, one of the human race
to see	θεαθῆναι	theathēnai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive	G2300 I see, behold, contemplate, visit
They broaden	πλατύνουσιν	platynousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G4115 I enlarge
their	αὐτῶν	autōn	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural	G846 he, she, it, they, them, same
phylacteries	φυλακτήρια	phylaktēria	Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G5440 a phylactery, an amulet
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
lengthen	μεγαλύνουσιν	megalynousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G3170 I enlarge, magnify, extol
their	τὰ	ta	Article - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3588 the
tassels	κράσπεδα	kraspeda	Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural	G2899 the fringe, edge

Matthew 23:6

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They love	φιλοῦσιν	philousin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G5368 I love, kiss
the	τὴν	tēn	Article - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
places of honor	πρωτοκλισίαν	prōtoklisian	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G4411 the chief place at a banquet
at	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
banquets	δείπνοις	deipnois	Noun - Dative Neuter Plural	G1173 a dinner, an afternoon or evening meal
the	τὰς	tas	Article - Accusative Feminine Plural	G3588 the
chief seats	πρωτοκαθεδρίας	prōtokathedrias	Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural	G4410 a chief seat
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
the	ταῖς	tais	Article - Dative Feminine Plural	G3588 the
synagogues	συναγωγαῖς	synagōgais	Noun - Dative Feminine Plural	G4864 an assembly, congregation, synagogue

Matthew 23:7

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
the	τοὺς	tous	Article - Accusative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
greetings	ἀσπασμοὺς	aspasmous	Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural	G783 a greeting, salutation
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
the	ταῖς	tais	Article - Dative Feminine Plural	G3588 the
marketplaces	ἀγοραῖς	agorais	Noun - Dative Feminine Plural	G58 market-place
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
the title	καλεῖσθαι	kaleisthai	Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive	G2564 I call, invite, name
of	Ῥαββί	Rhabbi	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G4461 Rabbi, my master, teacher
Rabbi	Ῥαββί	Rhabbi	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G4461 Rabbi, my master, teacher
by	ὑπὸ	hypo	Preposition	G5259 by, under, about