They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
Parallel translations
- WEB and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
- KJV And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
- BSB They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,
- NASB And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,
- NLT And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.
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
They crave the seats of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues. It exposes a love of status that corrupts religious leadership.
Overview
The Pharisees delighted in public recognition and prestige. Their hunger for honor revealed hearts set on self rather than on serving God and others. Jesus, by contrast, took the lowest place, washing his disciples' feet and giving his life, showing that greatness in God's kingdom is found in humble service.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 3 Jn 1:9I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say.
- Mark 12:38–39In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces,
- Luke 11:43–54Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces.
- Luke 14:7–11He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them,
- Prov 25:6–7Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men;
- Jas 2:1–4My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.
- Luke 20:46–47“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts;
- Rom 12:10In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another;
- Matt 20:21He said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Command that these, my two sons, may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left hand, in your Kingdom.”
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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 23:6 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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