^20:45As¹⁰⁰ all the people were listening, Jesus¹⁰¹ said to his disciples, ^20:46“Beware¹⁰² of the experts in the law.¹⁰³ They¹⁰⁴ like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings¹⁰⁵ in the marketplaces and the best seats¹⁰⁶ in the synagogues¹⁰⁷ and the places of honor at banquets. ^20:47They¹⁰⁸ devour¹⁰⁹ widows’ property,¹¹⁰ and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment.”

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Footnotes

100 Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
101 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
102 Or “Be on guard against.” This is a present imperative and indicates that pride is something to constantly be on the watch against.
103 Or “of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
104 Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun by the prior phrase.
105 There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See D. L. Bock, Luke (), 2:; H. Windisch, 1:498.
107 See the note on synagogues in .
108 Grk “who,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 46.
109 How they were able to devour widows’ houses is debated. Did they seek too much for contributions, or take too high a commission for their work, or take homes after debts failed to be paid? There is too little said here to be sure.
110 Grk “houses,” “households”; however, the term can have the force of “property” or “possessions” as well (O. Michel, 5:131; οἶκια 1.a).

Cross references

106 See Luke 14:1–14.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

While all the people were listening, he said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And while all the people were listening, he said to the disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like walking around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets, who devour the houses of widows and pray lengthy prayers for the sake of appearance. These will receive more severe condemnation!”

KJV 1900King James Version

Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, 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; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Public Domain