Matthew 16 · Verse 12

Matthew 16:12

Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Matthew 16:12, King James Version

Matthew 16:12 in other translations

BSBThen they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
WEBThen they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
ASVThen understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
YLTThen they understood that he did not say to take heed of the leaven of the bread, but of the teaching, of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
DARBYThen they comprehended that he did not speak of being beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
BBEThen they saw that it was not the leaven of bread which he had in mind, but the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
WebsterThen they understood that he did not caution them against the leaven of bread, but against the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

What does Matthew 16:12 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. Then understood they, etc. After this explanation, they immediately saw that he referred to their doctrines. Erroneous doctrines are like leaven in the following respects:

(1.) They are, at first, slight and unimportant in appearance.

(2.) They are insinuated into the soul unawares and silently, and are difficult of detection.

(3.) They act gradually.

(4.) They act most certainly.

(5.) They will pervade all the soul, and bring in all the faculties under their control.

(k) "the doctrine" Mt 15:1-9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 16:5-12

Christ speaks of spiritual things under a similitude, and the disciples misunderstand him of carnal things. He took it ill that they should think him as thoughtful about bread as they were; that they should be so little acquainted with his way of preaching. Then understood they what he meant. Christ teaches by the Spirit of wisdom in the heart, opening the understanding to the Spirit of revelation in the word.

Read the full comment on Matthew 16:5-12 →

Matthew 16:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤότεToteThenG5119
συνῆκανsunēkanthey understoodG4920
ὅτιhotithatG3754
οὐκouknotG3756
εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036
προσέχεινprosecheinto bewareG4337
ἀπὸapoofG575
τῆςtēstheG3588
ζύμηςzumēsleavenG2219
τῶνtōnof theG3588
ἄρτωνartōnloavesG740
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
ἀπὸapoofG575
τῆςtēstheG3588
διδαχῆςdidachēsteachingG1322
τῶνtōnof theG3588
ΦαρισαίωνPharisaiōnPhariseesG5330
καὶkaiandG2532
Σαδδουκαίων.¶SaddoukaiōnSadducees.G4523

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 16:12

  • Matthew 5:20

    For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

  • Acts 23:8

    For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

  • Matthew 23:13-28

    But 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. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! …

  • Matthew 15:4-9

    For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
but.
15:4-9; 23:13-28; Ac 23:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 16:11

    How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

  • Matthew 16:12

    Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

  • Matthew 16:13

    When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

Read all of Matthew 16

Matthew 16:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces entendieron que no les había dicho que se guardasen de la levadura de pan, sino de la doctrina de los Fariseos y de los Saduceos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors ils comprirent que ce n’était pas contre le levain du pain qu’il leur avait dit d’être en garde, mais contre la doctrine des pharisiens et des sadducéens.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da verstanden sie, daß er nicht gesagt hatte, sich zu hüten vor dem Sauerteig des Brotes, sondern vor der Lehre der Pharisäer und Sadducäer.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tunc intellexerunt quia non dixerit cavendum a fermento panum, sed a doctrina pharisæorum et sadducæorum.