Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
Parallel translations
- WEB those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
- BSB They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
- NKJV who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
- NASB who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.”
- NLT Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”
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 same scribes exploit defenseless widows while masking their greed with lengthy prayers. Jesus says they will face greater condemnation.
Overview
Beneath an outward show of piety lay oppression of the vulnerable, whom the law commanded Israel to protect. Hypocrisy that cloaks injustice in religious language invites stricter judgment, for greater knowledge brings greater accountability. The contrast with the poor widow in the next verses is deliberate: Jesus condemns those who devour widows and then honors a widow's wholehearted gift.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Luke 20:47Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
- Matt 23:33Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
- Matt 23:13But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
- Matt 6:7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
- Ezek 22:25There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
- Luke 12:47–48And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
- Mic 3:1–4And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
- 2 Tim 3:6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
- Matt 11:22–24But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
- Mic 2:2And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 12:40 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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