Matthew 22:35
New International Version
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

New Living Translation
One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:

English Standard Version
And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.

Berean Standard Bible
One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:

Berean Literal Bible
And one of them, a lawyer, questioned Him, testing Him,

King James Bible
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

New King James Version
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,

New American Standard Bible
And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him:

NASB 1995
One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

NASB 1977
And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him,

Legacy Standard Bible
And one of them, a scholar of the Law, asked Him a question, testing Him,

Amplified Bible
One of them, a lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law], asked Jesus a question, to test Him:

Christian Standard Bible
And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test Him:”

American Standard Version
And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, trying him:

Contemporary English Version
One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. So he tried to test Jesus by asking,

English Revised Version
And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
One of them, an expert in Moses' Teachings, tested Jesus by asking,

Good News Translation
and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question.

International Standard Version
One of them, an expert in the Law, tested him by asking,

Majority Standard Bible
One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:

NET Bible
And one of them, an expert in religious law, asked him a question to test him:

New Heart English Bible
One of them, a Law scholar, asked him a question, testing him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then one of them who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

Weymouth New Testament
and one of them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as a test question,

World English Bible
One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and one of them, a lawyer, questioned, tempting Him, and saying,

Berean Literal Bible
And one of them, a lawyer, questioned Him, testing Him,

Young's Literal Translation
and one of them, a lawyer, did question, tempting him, and saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And one of them, skilled in the law, asked, tempting him, and saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him:

New American Bible
and one of them [a scholar of the law] tested him by asking,

New Revised Standard Version
and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And one of them who knew the law, asked him, testing him,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And one of them who knew The Written Law asked him while testing him:
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, that he might tempt him, saying:

Godbey New Testament
And one of them, a theologian, tempting Him, asked Him also, saying,

Haweis New Testament
and one of them, a teacher of the law, put a question to him, to make trial of him, and said,

Mace New Testament
In the mean time one of them, a Doctor of the law, to try him, started this question, master,

Weymouth New Testament
and one of them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as a test question,

Worrell New Testament
and one of them, a lawyer, asked a question, tempting Him:

Worsley New Testament
they gathered together again, and one of them, an interpreter of the law, propounded a question, to try Him,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Greatest Commandment
34And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they themselves gathered together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question: 36“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 6:5
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Leviticus 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Mark 12:28-31
Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” / Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. / Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ...

Luke 10:25-28
One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” / “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” / He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ...

Romans 13:8-10
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. / The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” / Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Galatians 5:14
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

James 2:8
If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

1 John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. / Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:20-21
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. / And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.

John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. / By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

John 15:12-13
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. / Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. / If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. / If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.

Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.

Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.


Treasury of Scripture

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

a lawyer.

Luke 7:30
But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

Luke 10:25
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Luke 11:45,46,52
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also…

tempting.

Matthew 22:18
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

Mark 10:2
And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

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Demanded Expert Expounder Lawyer Question Teacher Tempting Test Tested Testing Trying
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Demanded Expert Expounder Lawyer Question Teacher Tempting Test Tested Testing Trying
Matthew 22
1. The parable of the marriage of the king's son.
9. The vocation of the Gentiles.
12. The punishment of him who lacked a wedding garment.
15. Tribute ought to be paid to Caesar.
23. Jesus confutes the Sadducees for the resurrection;
34. answers which is the first and great commandment;
41. and puzzles the Pharisees by a question about the Messiah.














One of them
This phrase refers to the group of Pharisees who were present. The Pharisees were a religious sect known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and their influence in Jewish society. Historically, they were often in opposition to Jesus, challenging His teachings and authority. The phrase "one of them" indicates that this was a collective effort by the Pharisees to challenge Jesus, highlighting the tension between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time.

an expert in the law
The Greek term used here is "νομικός" (nomikos), which refers to someone who is skilled in the Mosaic Law. This individual was not just a casual observer but a learned scholar, well-versed in the intricacies of Jewish law and tradition. His expertise suggests that the question posed to Jesus was not a simple inquiry but a calculated attempt to trap Him. This reflects the broader context of the Gospels, where religious leaders often sought to undermine Jesus' authority.

tested Him
The word "tested" comes from the Greek "πειράζω" (peirazō), which can mean to test, try, or tempt. In this context, it implies a malicious intent, as the expert in the law was not seeking truth but rather attempting to entrap Jesus. This reflects a recurring theme in the Gospels, where Jesus is frequently tested by those who oppose Him, yet He consistently demonstrates wisdom and authority in His responses.

with a question
The act of questioning was a common rabbinical practice used for teaching and debate. However, in this instance, the question was not posed for the sake of learning or discussion but as a means of entrapment. This highlights the adversarial relationship between Jesus and the religious leaders, who often used questions as a tool to challenge His teachings and authority. The context of this verse sets the stage for Jesus' profound response, which underscores His deep understanding of the law and His ability to transcend the legalistic interpretations of His challengers.

(35) A lawyer.--The precise distinction between the "lawyer" and the other scribes rested, probably, on technicalities that have left little or no trace behind them. The word suggests the thought of a section of the scribes who confined their attention to the Law, while the others included in their studies the writings of the Prophets also. In Luke 7:30; Luke 11:45, they appear as distinct from the Pharisees. The question asked by the "lawyer" here and in Luke 10:25 falls in with this view. So it would seem, in Titus 3:13, that Zenas the "lawyer" was sent for to settle the strivings about the Law that prevailed in Crete.

Tempting him.--There does not appear to have been in this instance any hostile purpose in the mind of the questioner; nor does the word necessarily imply it. (Comp. John 6:6; 2Corinthians 13:5, where it is used in the sense of "trying," "examining.") It would seem, indeed, as if our Lord's refutation of the Sadducees had drawn out a certain measure of sympathy and reverence from those whose minds were not hardened in hypocrisy. They came now to test His teaching on other points. What answer would He give to the much-debated question of the schools, as to which was the great commandment of the Law? Would He fix on circumcision, or the Sabbath, or tithes, or sacrifice, as that which held the place of pre-eminence? The fact that they thus, as it were, examined Him as if they were His judges, showed an utterly imperfect recognition of His claims as a Prophet and as the Christ; but the "lawyer" who appeared as their representative was, at least, honest in his purpose, and "not far from the kingdom of God" (Mark 12:34). . . .

Verse 35. - A lawyer; νομικός, called by St. Mark "a scribe" - a term of wider signification, which would include "lawyers." Vulgate, legis doctor, which gives the right sense; for such were teachers and expounders of the Mosaic Law. This man was put forth by the Pharisees as an expert, who would not be so easily discomfited as the Sadducees had been. Tempting him. Trying him (comp. 1 Kings 10:1); putting him to the test, not altogether maliciously, but partly from curiosity, and partly from a desire to hear Christ's opinion on a much disputed point. It is evident, from St. Mark's account, that Christ was pleased with him personally, for he said to him, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." Those who put this lawyer forward had, of course, sinister motives, and hoped to make capital from Christ's answer; but the man himself seems to have been straightforward and honest. We have had the terra "tempting" used in a hostile sense (Matthew 16:1; Matthew 19:3), but there is no necessity for so taking it; and it seems to imply here merely the renewal of the attack on Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
One
εἷς (heis)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1520: One. (including the neuter Hen); a primary numeral; one.

of
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

them,
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

an expert in the law,
νομικὸς (nomikos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3544: From nomos; according to law, i.e. Legal; as noun, an expert in the law.

tested
πειράζων (peirazōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3985: To try, tempt, test. From peira; to test, i.e. Endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline.

Him
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

with a question:
ἐπηρώτησεν (epērōtēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1905: To interrogate, question, demand of. From epi and erotao; to ask for, i.e. Inquire, seek.


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