Matthew 23:21
New International Version
And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.

New Living Translation
And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it.

English Standard Version
And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.

Berean Standard Bible
And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.

Berean Literal Bible
And the one having sworn by the temple swears by it and by the One dwelling in it.

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

New King James Version
He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.

New American Standard Bible
And the one who swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells in it.

NASB 1995
“And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it.

NASB 1977
“And he who swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it.

Legacy Standard Bible
And whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears both by the sanctuary and by Him who dwells within it.

Amplified Bible
And whoever swears [an oath] by the sanctuary of the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells within it.

Christian Standard Bible
The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells in it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The one who takes an oath by the sanctuary takes an oath by it and by Him who dwells in it.

American Standard Version
And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

Contemporary English Version
And anyone who swears by the temple also swears by God, who lives there.

English Revised Version
And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
To swear an oath by the temple is to swear by it and by the one who lives there.

Good News Translation
and when he swears by the Temple, he is swearing by it and by God, who lives there;

International Standard Version
The one who swears an oath by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who lives there.

Majority Standard Bible
And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.

NET Bible
And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it.

New Heart English Bible
He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who dwells in it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And whoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it.

Weymouth New Testament
he who swears by the Sanctuary swears both by it and by Him who dwells in it;

World English Bible
He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living in it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he who swore by the temple, swears by it, and by Him who is dwelling in it;

Berean Literal Bible
And the one having sworn by the temple swears by it and by the One dwelling in it.

Young's Literal Translation
and he who did swear by the sanctuary, doth swear by it, and by Him who is dwelling in it;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he having sworn by the temple, swears by it, and by him dwelling in it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And whosoever shall swear by temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And whoever will have sworn by the temple, swears by it, and by him who dwells in it.

New American Bible
one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it;

New Revised Standard Version
and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And whoever swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And whoever swears by The Temple swears by it and by The One dwelling in it.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And whoever swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him that dwells in it.

Godbey New Testament
And the one swearing by the temple, swears by it, and by Him who inhabited it.

Haweis New Testament
And whosoever sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him also who dwelleth in it.

Mace New Testament
and whoever swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

Weymouth New Testament
he who swears by the Sanctuary swears both by it and by Him who dwells in it;

Worrell New Testament
and he who swears by the temple swears by it and by Him dwelling therein;

Worsley New Testament
and he, that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth in it:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to Scribes and Pharisees
20So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. 22And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.…

Cross References
1 Kings 8:13
I have indeed built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”

2 Chronicles 6:2
But I have built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”

Isaiah 66:1
This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me? Or where will My place of repose be?

Acts 7:48-49
However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: / ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?

1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

2 Chronicles 2:6
But who is able to build a house for Him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain Him? Who then am I, that I should build a house for Him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before Him?

Psalm 11:4
The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.

Psalm 132:13-14
For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His home: / “This is My resting place forever and ever; here I will dwell, for I have desired this home.

Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

Jeremiah 7:4
Do not trust in deceptive words, saying: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’

Jeremiah 7:11
Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Yes, I too have seen it, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 7:30
For the people of Judah have done evil in My sight, declares the LORD. They have set up their abominations in the house that bears My Name, and so have defiled it.

Ezekiel 43:7
and He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile My holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and by the funeral offerings for their kings at their deaths.

John 2:16
To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”

John 4:21
“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.


Treasury of Scripture

And whoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it, and by him that dwells therein.

and by.

1 Kings 8:13,27
I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever…

2 Chronicles 6:2
But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.

2 Chronicles 7:2
And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.

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Dwelleth Dwelling Dwells House Oath Sanctuary Swear Sweareth Swears Temple Therein Within
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Dwelleth Dwelling Dwells House Oath Sanctuary Swear Sweareth Swears Temple Therein Within
Matthew 23
1. Jesus admonishes the people to follow good doctrine, not bad examples
5. His disciples must beware of their ambition.
13. He denounces eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness,
34. and prophesies of the destruction of Jerusalem.














And he who swears
The act of swearing, or making an oath, was a common practice in ancient times, often used to affirm truthfulness or commitment. The Greek word for "swears" is "ὀμνύω" (omnyō), which implies a solemn promise or declaration. In the context of Matthew 23, Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and scribes, who were known for their legalistic interpretations of the law. They often made distinctions between different types of oaths, considering some binding and others not. Jesus challenges this practice, emphasizing the integrity and seriousness of one's word.

by the temple
The temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish worship and a symbol of God's presence among His people. The Greek word "ναός" (naos) refers to the sacred edifice itself. Historically, the temple was not only a place of worship but also a place where significant oaths were made. By swearing "by the temple," individuals were invoking the sanctity and authority of this holy place. Jesus highlights the absurdity of swearing by the temple without recognizing the deeper spiritual implications.

swears by it
This phrase reiterates the act of making an oath, emphasizing the object of the oath—the temple. In Jewish tradition, the temple was revered, and any oath made by it was considered serious. However, Jesus points out the inconsistency in the Pharisees' logic, as they failed to see the true significance of what they were swearing by.

and by the One who dwells in it
Here, Jesus brings attention to the ultimate significance of the temple: the presence of God Himself. The phrase "the One who dwells" refers to God, who is believed to inhabit the temple. The Greek word "κατοικέω" (katoikeō) means to dwell or reside, indicating a permanent presence. This highlights the divine nature of the temple, not just as a physical structure but as the dwelling place of God. Jesus underscores that any oath made by the temple is inherently an oath by God, thus carrying profound spiritual weight.

Verse 21. - By him that dwelleth therein. In fact, it comes to this: to swear by temple or altar is to swear by God - an oath most solemn, which may not be evaded. "That dwelleth" is in some manuscripts the aorist participle, κατοικήσαντι, implying that God once for all took up his abode in the temple, and filled it with his ineffable presence (see 1 Kings 8:13; Psalm 132:14). From such passages we learn that God sanctifies things and places to be devoted to his service, and to be accounted by men holy and separated from all common uses. The Authorized Version translates the received text, κατοικοῦντι, which has good authority, the past participle being, perhaps, a correction by some scribe who thought that the day of Judaism was past when Christ spoke.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

he who
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

swears
ὀμόσας (omosas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3660: A prolonged form of a primary, but obsolete omo, for which another prolonged form omoo is used in certain tenses; to swear, i.e. Take oath.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

temple
ναῷ (naō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3485: A temple, a shrine, that part of the temple where God himself resides. From a primary naio; a fane, shrine, temple.

swears
ὀμνύει (omnyei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3660: A prolonged form of a primary, but obsolete omo, for which another prolonged form omoo is used in certain tenses; to swear, i.e. Take oath.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

it
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 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.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

the [One]
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

who dwells
κατοικοῦντι (katoikounti)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2730: To dwell in, settle in, be established in (permanently), inhabit. From kata and oikeo; to house permanently, i.e. Reside.

in it.
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.


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