KJV: Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
YLT: let them alone, guides they are -- blind of blind; and if blind may guide blind, both into a ditch shall fall.'
Darby: Leave them alone; they are blind leaders of blind: but if blind lead blind, both will fall into a ditch.
ASV: Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
ἄφετε | Leave |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural Root: ἀφίημι Sense: to send away. |
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τυφλοί | Blind |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: τυφλός Sense: blind. |
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εἰσιν | they are |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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ὁδηγοί | guides |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: ὁδηγός Sense: a leader of the way, a guide. |
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τυφλῶν | of the blind |
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: τυφλός Sense: blind. |
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τυφλὸς | Blind |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: τυφλός Sense: blind. |
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δὲ | now |
Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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τυφλὸν | blind |
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: τυφλός Sense: blind. |
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ὁδηγῇ | they lead |
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ὁδηγέω Sense: to be a guide, lead on one’s way, to guide. |
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ἀμφότεροι | both |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: ἀμφότεροι Sense: both of two, both the one and the other. |
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εἰς | into |
Parse: Preposition Root: εἰς Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among. |
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βόθυνον | a pit |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: βόθρος Sense: a pit, ditch. |
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πεσοῦνται | will fall |
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural Root: πίπτω Sense: to descend from a higher place to a lower. |
Greek Commentary for Matthew 15:14
Graphic picture. Once in Cincinnati a blind man introduced me to his blind friend. He said that he was showing him the city. Jesus is not afraid of the Pharisees. Let them alone to do their worst. Blind leaders and blind victims will land in the ditch. A proverbial expression in the O.T. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 15:14
Explain the parable (pithy saying) in Matthew 15:11, not in Matthew 15:14. As a matter of fact, the disciples had been upset by Christ‘s powerful exposure of the “Corban” duplicity and the words about “defilement” in Matthew 15:11. [source]
Note omission of “Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites” with this third woe. In Matthew 15:14 Jesus had already called the Pharisees “blind guides” (leaders). They split hairs about oaths, as Jesus had explained in Matthew 5:33-37, between the temple and the gold of the temple. [source]
From ὁδός , way, and ἡγέομαι , to lead. The kindred noun, ὁδηγός , guide, leader, occurs Matthew 15:14; Acts 1:16, etc. [source]
This passage presents great difficulty. According to the reading just given, the meaning is that Mary had kept the ointment, perhaps out of the store provided for Lazarus' burial, against the day of Christ's preparation for the tomb. The word ἐνταφιασμοῦ is wrongly rendered burial. It means the preparation for burial, the laying out, or embalmment. It is explained by John 19:40, as the binding in linen cloths with spices, “as the manner of the Jews is ἐνταφιάζειν toprepare for burial,” not to bury. It is the Latin pollingere, to wash and prepare a corpse for the funeral pile. Hence the name of the servant to whom this duty was committed was pollinctor. He was a slave of the libitinarius, or furnishing undertaker. Mary, then, has kept the ointment in order to embalm Jesus with it on this day, as though He were already dead. This is the sense of the Synoptists. Matthew (Matthew 26:12) says, she did it with reference to my preparation for burial. Mark, she anticipated to anoint. The reading of the Received Text is, however, disputed. The best textual critics agree that the perfect, τετήρηκεν , she hath kept, was substituted for the original reading τηρήσῃ , the aorist, she may keep, or may have kept, by some one who was trying to bring the text into harmony with Mark 14:8; not understanding how she could keep for His burial that which she poured out now. Some, however, urge the exact contrary, namely, that the perfect is the original reading, and that the aorist is a correction by critics who were occupied with the notion that no man is embalmed before his death, or who failed to see how the ointment could have been kept already, as it might naturally be supposed to have been just purchased. (So Godet and Field.)-DIVIDER- According to the corrected reading, ἵνα , in order that, is inserted after ἄφες αὐτὴν , let her alone, or suffer her; τετήρηκεν , hath kept, is changed to τηρήσῃ , may keep, and the whole is rendered, suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying. So Rev. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- But it is difficult to see why Christ should desire to have kept for His embalmment what had already been poured out upon Him. Some, as Meyer, assume that only a part of the ointment was poured out, and refer αὐτό , it, to the part remaining. “Let her alone, that she may not give away to the poor this ointment, of which she has just used a portion for the anointing of my feet, but preserve it for the day of my embalmming.” Canon Westcott inclines to this view of the use of only a part. But the inference from the synoptic narratives can be only that the whole contents of the flask were used, and the mention of the pound by John, and the charge of waste are to the same effect. There is nothing whatever to warrant a contrary supposition. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Others explain, suffer her to have kept it, or suffer that she may have kept it. So Westcott, who says: “The idiom by which a speaker throws himself into the past, and regards what is done as still a purpose, is common to all languages.”-DIVIDER- Others, again, retain the meaning let her alone, and render ἵνα , in order that, with an ellipsis, thus: “Let her alone: (she hath not sold her treasure) in order that she might keep it,” etc. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- The old rendering, as A.V., is the simplest, and gives a perfectly intelligible and consistent sense. If, however, this must be rejected, it seems, on the whole, best to adopt the marginal reading of the Rev., with the elliptical ἵνα : let her alone: it was that she might keep it. This preserves the prohibitory force of ἄφες αὐτήν , which is implied in Matthew 26:10, and is unquestionable in Mark 14:6. Compare Matthew 15:14; Matthew 19:14; Matthew 27:49. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- Note that the promise of the future repute of this act (Matthew 26:13; Mark 14:9) is omitted by the only Evangelist who records Mary's name in connection with it. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
Negative answer expected (μη mē) and yet these Pharisees who overheard the words of Jesus to the new convert vaguely suspected that Jesus was referring to them by the last clause. Up in Galilee Jesus had called the Pharisees blind guides who stumble into the pit (Matthew 15:14). [source]
Future active of οδηγεω hodēgeō old word (from οδηγος hodēgos guide, Matthew 15:14), used of God‘s guidance of Israel (Exodus 15:13), of God‘s guidance of individual lives (Psalm 5:9), of the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), of Christ‘s own guidance here (cf. John 14:4; Revelation 14:4). [source]
“Shall shepherd them,” future active of ποιμαινω poimainō (from ποιμην poimēn shepherd), in John 21:16; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; Revelation 2:27; Revelation 7:17; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15. Jesus is still the Good Shepherd of his sheep (John 10:11, John 10:14.). Cf. Psalm 23:1.Shall guide them (οδη γησει αυτους hodē gēsei autous). Future active of οδηγεω hodēgeō old word (from οδηγος hodēgos guide, Matthew 15:14), used of God‘s guidance of Israel (Exodus 15:13), of God‘s guidance of individual lives (Psalm 5:9), of the guidance of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), of Christ‘s own guidance here (cf. John 14:4; Revelation 14:4).Unto fountains of waters of life The language is like that in Isaiah 49:10; Jeremiah 2:13. Note the order, “to life‘s water springs” (Swete) like the Vulgate ad vitae fontes aquarum, with emphasis on ζωης zōēs (life‘s). For this idea see also John 4:12, John 4:14; John 7:38.; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:1, Revelation 22:17. No special emphasis on the plural here or in Revelation 8:10; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 16:4.And God shall wipe away (και εχαλειπσει ο τεος kai exaleipsei ho theos). Repeated in Revelation 21:4 from Isaiah 25:8. Future active of εχαλειπω exaleiphō old compound, to wipe out (εχ ex), off, away, already in Revelation 3:5 for erasing a name and in Acts 3:19 for removing the stain (guilt) of sin.Every tear Old word, with other form, δακρυ dakru in Luke 7:38, Luke 7:44. Note repetition of εκ ek with οπταλμων ophthalmōn (out of their eyes). “Words like these of Revelation 7:15-17 must sound as a divine music in the ears of the persecuted. God will comfort as a mother comforts” (Baljon). [source]