They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
Parallel translations
- WEB They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
- KJV And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
- NKJV “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
- NASB Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and teach them to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.
- NLT They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean.
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
The priests are to teach God's people to distinguish the holy from the common and the clean from the unclean.
Overview
A central priestly duty was instruction, helping Israel discern what is sacred and what defiles. Teaching God's people to discern rightly is essential to faithful worship and living. This pastoral, teaching role anticipates the ministry of God's word in the church, by which believers are trained in holiness through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ezek 22:26Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
- Lev 10:10–11You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,
- 2 Tim 2:24–25And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.
- Hos 4:6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
- Zeph 3:4Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.
- Mal 2:6–9True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
- Hag 2:11–13“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling.
- Deut 33:10He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
- Titus 1:9–11He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
- Mic 3:9–11Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 44:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.