New International Version You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. New Living Translation Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! English Standard Version You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! Berean Standard Bible You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Berean Literal Bible Blind guides—those straining out the gnat and swallowing up the camel! King James Bible Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. New King James Version Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! New American Standard Bible You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! NASB 1995 “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! NASB 1977 “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Legacy Standard Bible You blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! Amplified Bible You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]! Berean Annotated Bible You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel <Lev 11:4, Lev 11:23>. Christian Standard Bible Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel! Holman Christian Standard Bible Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel! American Standard Version Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel! Contemporary English Version You blind leaders! You strain out a small fly but swallow a camel. English Revised Version Ye blind guides, which strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel. GOD'S WORD® Translation You blind guides! You strain gnats [out of your wine], but you swallow camels. Good News Translation Blind guides! You strain a fly out of your drink, but swallow a camel! International Standard Version You blind guides! You filter out a gnat, yet swallow a camel! NET Bible Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! New Heart English Bible You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. Webster's Bible Translation Ye blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. Weymouth New Testament You blind guides, straining out the gnat while you gulp down the camel! Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleYou blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. World English Bible You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel! Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBlind guides! Who are straining out the gnat, and are swallowing the camel. Berean Literal Bible Blind guides—those straining out the gnat and swallowing up the camel! Young's Literal Translation 'Blind guides! who are straining out the gnat, and the camel are swallowing. Smith's Literal Translation Blind guides, straining a gnat, and swallowing down a camel. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBlind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. Catholic Public Domain Version You blind guides, straining out a gnat, while swallowing a camel! New American Bible Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! New Revised Standard Version You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleO blind guides, who strain at gnats and swallow camels! Aramaic Bible in Plain English Blind guides who strain out gnats and swallow camels! NT Translations Anderson New TestamentBlind guides! who strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel. Godbey New Testament Haweis New Testament Ye blind guides! who strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel. Mace New Testament ye blind guides, who strain your liquor for a gnat, and swallow a beetle. Weymouth New Testament You blind guides, straining out the gnat while you gulp down the camel! Worrell New Testament Worsley New Testament Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Woes to Scribes and Pharisees…23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.… Cross References You blind guides! Matthew 15:14 Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Romans 2:19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, Luke 6:39 Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? You strain out a gnat Leviticus 11:20-23 All flying insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. / However, you may eat the following kinds of flying insects that walk on all fours: those having jointed legs above their feet for hopping on the ground. / Of these you may eat any kind of locust, katydid, cricket, or grasshopper. … Deuteronomy 14:19 All flying insects are unclean for you; they may not be eaten. Acts 10:14 “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” but swallow a camel. Leviticus 11:4 But of those that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. Deuteronomy 14:7 But of those that chew the cud or have a completely divided hoof, you are not to eat the following: the camel, the rabbit, or the rock badger. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof. They are unclean for you, Matthew 19:24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 11:39-42 Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. / You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well? / But give as alms the things that are within you, and behold, everything will be clean for you. … Isaiah 9:16 For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up. Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end? John 9:39-41 Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.” / Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?” / “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” Isaiah 56:10 Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions. Treasury of Scripture You blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Matthew 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Matthew 15:2-6 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread… Matthew 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Jump to Previous Blind Camel Drink Fly Guides Strain Straining Swallow Swallowing TroubleJump to Next Blind Camel Drink Fly Guides Strain Straining Swallow Swallowing TroubleMatthew 23 1. Jesus admonishes the people to follow good doctrine, not bad examples5. 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. You blind guides! Jesus condemns religious leaders who claimed to direct Israel in God’s ways while lacking spiritual discernment themselves. Their outward authority concealed hearts that had missed the righteousness, mercy, and faithfulness God required. Mat 15:14 Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man… You strain out a gnat The Pharisees carefully filtered their drinks to avoid swallowing an unclean insect, displaying intense concern for ceremonial details. Yet their precision in minor observances did not produce obedience in matters of greater moral importance. Lev 11:20-23 All flying insects that walk on all fours… but swallow a camel. The camel, also unclean under the Law, provides a deliberately absurd contrast. Leaders who avoided the smallest impurity while tolerating greed, injustice, hypocrisy, and unbelief had reversed God’s priorities. Lev 11:4 But of those that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof;… Persons / Places / Events 1. Jesus ChristThe speaker of this verse, addressing the Pharisees and scribes with a rebuke for their hypocrisy and misplaced priorities. 2. Pharisees and Scribes Jewish religious leaders known for their strict adherence to the law and traditions, often criticized by Jesus for their legalism and hypocrisy. 3. Jerusalem The city where Jesus delivered this discourse, a central place of Jewish worship and religious authority. 4. Gnat and Camel Metaphorical elements used by Jesus to illustrate the absurdity of focusing on minor details while neglecting more significant issues. The gnat represents the smallest of unclean animals, while the camel is one of the largest. Teaching Points Hypocrisy in LeadershipJesus condemns the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, serving as a warning to leaders today to practice what they preach and focus on the heart of God's commandments. Prioritizing the Essentials Believers are encouraged to focus on the weightier matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness—rather than getting caught up in minor legalistic details. Self-Examination This passage calls for personal reflection on whether we are guilty of similar behavior, emphasizing the need for humility and repentance. Spiritual Blindness The term "blind guides" highlights the danger of spiritual blindness, urging believers to seek God's wisdom and guidance to see clearly. Balance in Christian Living While attention to detail is important, it should not overshadow the broader principles of love and justice that underpin the Christian faith. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Matthew 23:24?2. How can we avoid being "blind guides" in our spiritual leadership today? 3. What does "strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" symbolize in Matthew 23:24? 4. How does Matthew 23:24 relate to the Pharisees' focus on minor laws? 5. What steps can we take to prioritize major over minor spiritual matters? 6. How does Matthew 23:24 challenge us to examine our own spiritual practices? 7. What does "You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" mean? 8. How does Matthew 23:24 reflect on religious hypocrisy? 9. What historical context influenced Jesus' message in Matthew 23:24? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 23? (24) Strain at a gnat.--Better, as in Tyndale's and other earlier versions, strain out. It is sometimes said that the present rendering of the Authorised version is but the perpetuation of a printer's blunder; but of this there is scarcely sufficient evidence, nor is it probable in itself. In the Greek both nouns have the emphasis of the article, "the gnat--the camel." The scrupulous care described in the first clause of the proverbial saying was literally practised by devout Jews (as it is now by the Buddhists of Ceylon), in accordance with Leviticus 11:23; Leviticus 11:42. In the second clause, the camel appears, not only, as in Matthew 19:24, as the type of vastness, but as being among the unclean beasts of which the Israelites might not eat (Leviticus 11:4).Matthew 23:24 exposes religious hypocrisy: leaders boast of microscopic obedience yet ignore commanding calls to love, justice, and faithfulness. Jesus uses vivid humor—a gnat and a camel—to show that meticulous rule-keeping is meaningless when the heart swallows sin whole. God still calls His people to guard both the small and the great, but always in the proper order: first the weightier matters, then the details, so that inward righteousness and outward practice align for His glory. Parallel Commentaries ... Greek You blindτυφλοί (typhloi) Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural Strong's 5185: Blind, physically or mentally. From, tuphoo; opaque, i.e. blind. guides! ὁδηγοὶ (hodēgoi) Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular Strong's 3595: A leader, guide; met: an instructor, teacher. From hodos and hegeomai; a conductor (teacher). You strain out διϋλίζοντες (diulizontes) Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Masculine Plural Strong's 1368: To strain, put through a sieve. From dia and hulizo hoo-lid'-zo; to strain out. a gnat κώνωπα (kōnōpa) Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 2971: Apparently a derivative of the base of kentron and a derivative of optanomai; a mosquito. but δὲ (de) Conjunction Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc. swallow καταπίνοντες (katapinontes) Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Masculine Plural Strong's 2666: To drink down, swallow, devour, destroy, consume. From kata and pino; to drink down, i.e. Gulp entire. a camel. κάμηλον (kamēlon) Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 2574: A camel or dromedary. Of Hebrew origin; a 'camel'. Additonal Resources Matthew 23:24 Blue Letter BibleMatthew 23:24 Bible Gateway Matthew 23:24 Bible.com Matthew 23:24 NIV |
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