Luke 20:46

“Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts;

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

“Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts;

BSB

“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.

KJV

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;

ASV

Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts;

BBE

Keep away from the scribes, whose pleasure it is to go about in long robes, and to have words of respect said to them in the market-places, and to take the chief seats in the Synagogues and the first places at feasts;

Original Greek

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προσέχετε prosechete do beware G4337 ἀπὸ apo of G575 τῶν tōn the G3588 γραμματέων grammateōn scribes G1122 τῶν tōn who G3588 θελόντων thelontōn are desiring G2309 περιπατεῖν peripatein to walk G4043 ἐν en in G1722 στολαῖς stolais long robes G4749 καὶ kai and G2532 φιλούντων philountōn loving G5368 ἀσπασμοὺς aspasmous greetings G783 ἐν en in G1722 ταῖς tais the G3588 ἀγοραῖς agorais marketplaces G58 καὶ kai and G2532 πρωτοκαθεδρίας prōtokathedrias first seats G4410 ἐν en in G1722 ταῖς tais the G3588 συναγωγαῖς sunagōgais synagogues G4864 καὶ kai and G2532 πρωτοκλισίας prōtoklisias first places G4411 ἐν en in G1722 τοῖς tois the G3588 δείπνοις deipnois banquets G1173

The early church

He does not forbid those to sit first in the synagogue, or at the feast, to whom this dignity belongs by right, but He tells them to beware of those who love this unduly; denouncing not the distinction, but the love of it. Though the other also would not be free from blame, when the same men who wish to take part in the disputes in the market, desire also to be called masters in the synagogue. For two reasons we are bid to beware of those who seek after vain-glory, either lest we be led away by their pretences, supposing those things to be good which they do, or be inflamed with jealousy, desiring in vain to be praised for the good deeds which they pretend to.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
For as He was sending them to teach the world, He rightly warns them not to imitate the pride of the Pharisees. Beware of the Scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, that is, to go forth into public, dressed in fine clothes, which was one of the sins remarked in the rich man. (Luke 16:19.) Which is the way of those who court and hunt after a good reputation, or they do it for the sake of collecting money. It follows, And the chief seats in synagogues.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
The passions of the Scribes were the love of vainglory and the love of gain. That the disciples should avoid these hateful crimes, He gives them this warning, and adds, And love greetings in the markets.
Cyril of Alexandria · d. 444Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 39–47

The scribes commended the reply Christ made to the Sadducees about the resurrection, but they were silenced by a question concerning the Messiah. Christ, as God, was David's Lord; but Christ, as man, was David's son. The scribes would receive the severest judgement for defrauding the poor widows, and for their abuse of religion, particularly of prayer, which they used as a pretence for carrying on worldly and wicked plans. Dissembled piety is double sin. Then let us beg of God to keep us from pride, ambition, covetousness, and every evil thing; and to teach us to seek that honour which comes from him alone.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 20 →

Parallel passages

5

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 23:6–7Matthew 23:14Mark 12:38–39Mark 12:38–40Luke 11:43

Cross-references

12

Topics

Hypocrisy

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.