Matthew 23:16-24 Woe to you, blind guides that you are! you say, 'Swear by the sanctuary, and it means nothing; but swear by the gold of the sanctuary, and the oath is binding.'

Moffatt⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹⁶ Woe to you, blind guides that you are! you say, 'Swear by the sanctuary, and it means nothing; but swear by the gold of the sanctuary, and the oath is binding.' ¹⁷ You are senseless and blind! for which is the greater, the gold or the sanctuary that makes the gold sacred? ¹⁸ You say again, 'Swear by the altar, and it means nothing; but swear by the gift upon it, and the oath is binding.' ¹⁹ You are blind! for which is the greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ He who swears by the altar swears by it and by all that lies on it; ²¹ he who swears by the sanctuary swears by it and by Him who inhabits it; ²² he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. ²³ Woe to you, you impious scribes and Pharisees! you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and omit the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faithfulness; these latter you ought to have practised — without omit ting the former. ²⁴ Blind guides that you are, filtering away the gnat and swallowing the camel!