Matthew 23 · Verse 20

Matthew 23:20

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Matthew 23:20, King James Version

Matthew 23:20 in other translations

BSBSo then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
WEBHe therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it.
ASVHe therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
YLT‘He therefore who did swear by the altar, doth swear by it, and by all things on it;
DARBYHe therefore that swears by the altar swears by it and by all things that are upon it.
BBEHe, then, who takes an oath by the altar, takes it by the altar and by all things on it.
WebsterWhoever therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things upon it.

What does Matthew 23:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 23:20-22
20-22. Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, &c.--See on Mt 5:33-37.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Whoso - shall swear by the altar - As an oath always supposes a person who witnesses it, and will punish perjury; therefore, whether they swore by the temple or the gold, (Mat 23:16), or by the altar or the gift laid on it, (Mat 23:18), the oath necessarily supposes the God of the temple, of the altar, and of the gifts, who witnessed the whole, and would, even in their exempt cases, punish the perjury.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 23:13-33

The scribes and Pharisees were enemies to the gospel of Christ, and therefore to the salvation of the souls of men. It is bad to keep away from Christ ourselves, but worse also to keep others from him. Yet it is no new thing for the show and form of godliness to be made a cloak to the greatest enormities. But dissembled piety will be reckoned double iniquity. They were very busy to turn souls to be of their party…

Read the full comment on Matthew 23:13-33 →

Matthew 23:20 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.

ὁhoThe [one]G3588
οὖνounthereforeG3767
ὀμόσαςomosashaving swornG3660
ἐνenbyG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
θυσιαστηρίῳthusiastēriōaltarG2379
ὀμνύειomnueiswearsG3660
ἐνenbyG1722
αὐτῷautōitG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνenbyG1722
πᾶσινpasinall thingsG3956
τοῖςtoisthat [are]G3588
ἐπάνωepanōuponG1883
αὐτοῦ,autouit,G846

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

Context

  • Matthew 23:19

    Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

  • Matthew 23:20

    Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

  • Matthew 23:21

    And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

Read all of Matthew 23

Matthew 23:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pues el que jurare por el altar, jura por él, y por todo lo que está sobre él;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Celui donc qui jure par l’autel, jure par l’autel et par toutes les choses qui sont dessus;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wer nun bei dem Altar schwört, schwört bei demselben und bei allem, was auf ihm ist.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui ergo jurat in altari, jurat in eo, et in omnibus quæ super illud sunt.