Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
Parallel translations
- WEB desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.
- BSB They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.
- NKJV desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
- NASB wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
- NLT They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
These men wanted to be teachers of the law but understood neither their own words nor the subjects they confidently asserted. It exposes the danger of confident ignorance in teaching.
Overview
The false teachers aspired to be authorities on the Mosaic law yet lacked real understanding of it. Their bold assertions outran their comprehension. Paul highlights that desire for status as a teacher, without true grasp of God's word, harms the church.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Rom 1:22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
- 2 Pet 2:12But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
- 1 Tim 6:4He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
- Gal 3:5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
- Gal 5:3–4For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
- Gal 3:2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
- Rom 2:19–21And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
- Titus 1:10–11For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
- 2 Tim 3:7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
- Matt 15:14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
- John 9:40–41And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
- Gal 4:21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
- John 3:9–10Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
- Jer 8:8–9How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
- Matt 23:16–24Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
- Isa 29:13–14Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
- Acts 15:1And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
- Matt 21:27And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
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Original language
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