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Matthew 23:4

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

KJV

δεσμεύουσιν δὲ φορτία βαρέα καὶ ἐπιτιθέασιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, αὐτοὶ δὲ τῷ δακτύλῳ αὐτῶν οὐ θέλουσιν κινῆσαι αὐτά.

Greek NT

Alligant enim onera gravia, et importabilia, et imponunt in humeros hominum : digito autem suo nolunt ea movere.

Vulgate

Yea, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.

ASV

For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens and lay them on men's shoulders: but with a finger of their own they will not move them.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

15 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
βαρύς
barus
adjective · 6×
δάκτυλος
daktulos
noun · 10×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
δεσμεύω
desmeuo
verb · 3×
θέλω
thelo
verb · 208×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
κινέω
kineo
verb · 8×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
φορτίον
phortion
noun · 6×
ἄνθρωπος
anthropos
noun · 549×
ἐπί
epi
preposition · 888×
ἐπιτίθημι
epitithemi
verb · 39×
o
article · 19778×
ὦμος
omos
noun · 2×

Textual variants

3 variant units attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

minor
SBLGNT: δὲ | WH/Treg/NIV: δὲ | RP: γὰρ
  • δὲSBLGNT
  • δὲWestcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • γὰρRobinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus
notable
SBLGNT: βαρέα | WH/NIV: βαρέα | Treg/NA/RP: + καὶ δυσβάστακτα
  • βαρέαSBLGNT
  • βαρέαWestcott-Hort, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • + καὶ δυσβάστακταTregelles, Nestle-Aland 27, Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus
minor
SBLGNT: αὐτοὶ δὲ τῷ | WH/Treg/NIV: αὐτοὶ δὲ τῷ | RP: τῷ δὲ
  • αὐτοὶ δὲ τῷSBLGNT
  • αὐτοὶ δὲ τῷWestcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • τῷ δὲRobinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Historic Christian voices

3 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

2. For with what judgment ye judge, says He, you shall be judged. Matthew 7:2 That is, it is not the other, says Christ, that you condemn, but yourself, and you are making the judgment-seat dreadful to yourself, and the account strict. As then in the forgiveness of our sins the beginnings are from us, so also in this judgment, it is by ourselves that the measures of our condemn…

Cross-references

  • 1Kgs 12:4 — Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
  • 3John 1:9 — I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
  • Acts 15:10 — Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
  • Acts 15:10 — Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
  • Gal 5:1 — Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
  • Gal 6:13 — For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
  • Lam 5:13 — They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the wood.
  • Luke 11:46 — 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.
  • Matt 11:28 — Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
  • Matt 11:28 — Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
  • Matt 23:23 — Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have do
  • Rev 2:24 — But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.