KJV: Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
YLT: 'Blind guides! who are straining out the gnat, and the camel are swallowing.
Darby: Blind guides, who strain out the gnat, but drink down the camel.
ASV: Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel!
| ὁδηγοὶ | Guides |
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Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular Root: ὁδηγός Sense: a leader of the way, a guide. |
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| τυφλοί | blind |
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Parse: Adjective, Vocative Masculine Plural Root: τυφλός Sense: blind. |
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| οἱ | Those |
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Parse: Article, Vocative Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| διϋλίζοντες | straining out |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Vocative Masculine Plural Root: διϋλίζω Sense: to filter through, strain through, pour through a filter, strain out. |
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| κώνωπα | gnat |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: κώνωψ Sense: a wine gnat or midge that is bred in fermenting and evaporating wine. |
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| δὲ | however |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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| κάμηλον | camel |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: κάμηλος Sense: camel. |
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| καταπίνοντες | swallowing |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Vocative Masculine Plural Root: καταπίνω Sense: to drink down, swallow down. |
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Greek Commentary for Matthew 23:24
By filtering through (δια dia), not the “straining at” in swallowing so crudely suggested by the misprint in the A.V. [source]
Gulping or drinking down the camel. An oriental hyperbole like that in Matthew 19:24. See also Matthew 5:29, Matthew 5:30; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21. Both insects and camels were ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:4, Leviticus 11:20, Leviticus 11:23, Leviticus 11:42). “He that kills a flea on the Sabbath is as guilty as if he killed a camel” (Jer. Shabb. 107). [source]
διά , thoroughly or through, and ὑλίζω , to filter or strain. Strain at is an old misprint perpetuated. Hence the Rev. correctly, as Tynd., strain out. Insects were ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:20, Leviticus 11:23, Leviticus 11:41, Leviticus 11:42), so that the Jews strained their wine in order not to swallow any unclean animal. Moreover, there were certain insects which bred in wine. Aristotle uses the word gnat ( κώνωπα ) of a worm or larva found in the sediment of sour wine. “In a ride from Tangier to Tetuan I observed that a Moorish soldier who accompanied me, when he drank, always unfolded the end of his turban and placed it over the mouth of his bota, drinking through the muslin to strain out the gnats, whose larvae swarm in the water of that country” (cited by Trench, “On the Authorized Version”). [source]
The rendering is feeble. It is drink down ( κατά ); gulp. Note that the camel was also unclean (Leviticus 11:4). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 23:24
Jesus had used the term cross about himself (Matthew 16:24). It was a familiar enough picture under Roman rule. Jesus had long foreseen and foretold this horrible form of death for himself (Matthew 20:19; Matthew 23:24; Matthew 26:2). He had heard the cry of the mob to Pilate that he be crucified (Matthew 27:22) and Pilate‘s surrender (Matthew 27:26) and he was on the way to the Cross (Matthew 27:31). There were various kinds of crosses and we do not know precisely the shape of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified, though probably the one usually presented is correct. Usually the victim was nailed (hands and feet) to the cross before it was raised and it was not very high. The crucifixion was done by the soldiers (Matthew 27:35) in charge and two robbers were crucified on each side of Jesus, three crosses standing in a row (Matthew 27:38). [source]
Lit. were drunk down. See on Matthew 23:24. Comp. lxx, Exodus 15:4, and in N.T. 1 Corinthians 15:54; 2 Corinthians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 5:4. [source]
Literally, “of which taking trial” (second aorist active participle of λαμβανω lambanō to take). The idiom πειραν λαμβανειν peiran lambanein occurs in Deuteronomy 28:56, in N.T. only here and Hebrews 11:36, though a classical idiom (Demosthenes, etc.). Were swallowed up First aorist passive indicative of καταπινω katapinō to drink down, to swallow down (Matthew 23:24). [source]
Lit., swallow down. See on Matthew 23:24. [source]