Matthew 23 · Verse 6

Matthew 23:6

And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Matthew 23:6, King James Version

Matthew 23:6 in other translations

BSBThey love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,
WEBand love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
ASVand love the chief place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
YLTthey love also the chief couches in the supper, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
DARBYand love the chief place in feasts and the first seats in the synagogues,
BBEAnd the things desired by them are the first places at feasts, and the chief seats in the Synagogues,
WebsterAnd love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

What does Matthew 23:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts--The word "room" is now obsolete in the sense here intended. It should be "the uppermost place," that is, the place of highest honor. and the chief seats in the synagogues. See on Lu 14:7, 8.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. The uppermost rooms at feasts. The word rooms, here, by no means expresses the meaning of the original. It would be correctly rendered the uppermost places or couches at feasts. To understand this it is necessary to remark, that the custom among the Jews was not to eat sitting, as we do, but reclining on couches. The table was made by three tables, raised like ours, and placed so as to form a square, with a clear space in the midst, and one end quite open. On the sides; of them were placed cushions, capable of containing three or-more persons, On these the guests reclined, leaning on their left side with their feet extended from the table, and so lying that the head of one naturally reclined on the bosom of another. To recline near to one in this manner denoted intimacy, and was what was meant by lying in the bosom of another, Jn 13:23; Lk 16:22,23. As the feet were extended from the table, and as they reclined instead of sitting, it was easy to approach the feet behind, and even unperceived. Thus in Lk 7:37,38 while Jesus reclined in this manner, a woman that had been a sinner came to his feet behind him, and washed them with her tears, and wiped with the hairs of her head. She stood on the outside of the couches. So our Saviour washed the feet of his disciples as they reclined on a couch in this manner, Jn 13:4-12. Whenever we read in the New Testament of sitting at meals, it always means reclining in this manner, and never sitting as we do. The chief seat, or the uppermost one, was the middle couch at the upper end of the table. This the Pharisees loved, as a post of honour or distinction. The annexed cut will fully illustrate the custom.

Chief seats in the synagogues. The seats usually occupied by the elders of the synagogue, near the pulpit. They love a place of distinction. Mt 4:23.

(w) "And love" Mk 12:36, Lk 11:43

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 23:1-12

The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses, and enforced obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance; but God searches the heart. They made phylacteries. These were scrolls of paper or parchment, wherein were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms, Ex 13:2-10; 13:11-16; De 6:4-9; 11:13-21. They made…

Read the full comment on Matthew 23:1-12 →

Matthew 23:6 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.

φιλοῦσινphilousinThey loveG5368
δὲdenowG1161
τὴνtēntheG3588
πρωτοκλισίανprōtoklisianchief placeG4411
ἐνenatG1722
τοῖςtoistheG3588
δείπνοιςdeipnoisbanquetsG1173
καὶkaiandG2532
τὰςtastheG3588
πρωτοκαθεδρίαςprōtokathedriasfirst seatsG4410
ἐνeninG1722
ταῖςtaistheG3588
συναγωγαῖςsunagōgaissynagoguesG4864

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

Cross references for Matthew 23:6

  • 3 John 1:9

    I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

  • Luke 11:43-54

    Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. …

  • Mark 12:38-39

    And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

  • Luke 14:7-11

    And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. …

  • Proverbs 25:6-7

    Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

  • James 2:1-4

    My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

  • Luke 20:46-47

    Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

  • Matthew 20:21

    And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

  • Romans 12:10

    Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
20:21; Pr 25:6,7; Mr 12:38,39; Lu 11:43-54; 14:7-11; 20:46,47
Ro 12:10; Jas 2:1-4; 3Jo 1:9

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

Context

  • Matthew 23:5

    But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

  • Matthew 23:6

    And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

  • Matthew 23:7

    And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Read all of Matthew 23

Matthew 23:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y aman los primeros asientos en las cenas, y las primeras sillas en las sinagogas;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et ils aiment la première place dans les repas et les premiers sièges dans les synagogues,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie lieben aber den ersten Platz bei den Gastmählern und die ersten Sitze in den Synagogen
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Amant autem primos recubitus in cœnis, et primas cathedras in synagogis,