But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
Parallel translations
- WEB But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,
- KJV But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
- BSB All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
- NASB And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.
- NLT “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.
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
Their works are done to be admired by people, exaggerating outward religious symbols like phylacteries and tassels. It exposes religion driven by vanity rather than devotion to God.
Overview
Phylacteries were small boxes containing Scripture worn on the body, and the fringes were prescribed tassels on garments; the leaders enlarged these to display their piety. Jesus condemns religion performed for human applause rather than for God. True worship seeks the approval of the Father who sees in secret, not the praise of onlookers.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- John 12:43for they loved men’s praise more than God’s praise.
- Matt 6:1–16“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
- John 5:44How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- Deut 6:8You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.
- Luke 16:15He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
- Phil 2:3doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
- Num 15:38–39“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them that they should make themselves fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put on the fringe of each border a cord of blue:
- Exod 13:9It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt.
- Luke 20:47who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”
- Deut 22:12You shall make yourselves fringes on the four corners of your cloak with which you cover yourself.
- Prov 6:21–23Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
- John 7:18He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
- Prov 3:3Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
- Matt 9:20Behold, a woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;
- Phil 1:15Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.
- 2 Th 2:4he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
- 2 Kgs 10:16He said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for Yahweh.” So they made him ride in his chariot.
- Deut 11:18Therefore you shall lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul. You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.
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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 23:5 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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