Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
Parallel translations
- WEB You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.
- KJV Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
- NKJV Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
- NASB You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean.
- NLT You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
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
Jesus urges them to clean the inside first, so the outside may also be clean. It teaches that true righteousness begins with a transformed heart.
Overview
Genuine purity must start within; when the heart is cleansed, the outward life follows. The leaders had the order reversed, polishing the surface while the interior remained defiled. This anticipates the gospel, in which Christ purifies the heart by his Spirit, producing an outward life that is truly clean rather than merely appearing so.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 2 Cor 7:1Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Jas 4:8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Heb 10:22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- Ezek 18:31Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
- Isa 55:7Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
- Matt 12:33Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
- Luke 6:45The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
- Jer 4:14Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
- Jer 13:27Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields—I have seen your detestable acts. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean?”
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 23:26 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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