Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
Parallel translations
- WEB who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.
- BSB They say, ‘Keep to yourself; do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ Such people are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.
- NKJV Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
- NASB “Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.
- NLT Yet they say to each other, ‘Don’t come too close or you will defile me! I am holier than you!’ These people are a stench in my nostrils, an acrid smell that never goes away.
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 idolaters claim to be holier than others, yet God calls them smoke and fire in His nostrils. It matters because self-righteous pride is offensive to God.
Overview
These people combine pagan practice with arrogant claims of superior holiness, an irony God finds intolerable. Their pretended sanctity is actually a provocation, 'smoke in my nose.' This warns against the self-righteousness Jesus condemned in the Pharisees (Luke 18:9-14) and points to the true holiness that comes only as a gift through Christ, never through proud self-assertion.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Luke 18:9–12And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
- Luke 7:39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
- Prov 16:5Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
- Rom 2:17–29Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
- Luke 15:28–30And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
- Deut 29:20The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
- Luke 5:30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
- Matt 9:11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
- Acts 22:21–22And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
- Deut 32:20–22And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.
- 1 Pet 5:5Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- Jude 1:19These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
- Prov 6:16–17These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
- Prov 10:26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
- Jas 4:6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
- Luke 15:2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 65:5 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
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