Luke 20:47
New International Version
They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

New Living Translation
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.”

English Standard Version
who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

Berean Standard Bible
They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Berean Literal Bible
who devour the houses of widows, and pray at great length as a pretext. These will receive more abundant condemnation."

King James Bible
Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

New King James Version
who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

New American Standard Bible
who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.”

NASB 1995
who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

NASB 1977
who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

Legacy Standard Bible
who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

Amplified Bible
These [men] who confiscate and devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense [to appear devout] offer long prayers. These [men] will receive the greater [sentence of] condemnation.”

Christian Standard Bible
They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive greater punishment.”

American Standard Version
who devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.

Contemporary English Version
But they cheat widows out of their homes and then pray long prayers just to show off. These teachers will be punished most of all.

English Revised Version
which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make themselves look good. The scribes will receive the most severe punishment."

Good News Translation
who take advantage of widows and rob them of their homes, and then make a show of saying long prayers! Their punishment will be all the worse!"

International Standard Version
They devour widows' houses and say long prayers to cover it up. They will receive greater condemnation!"

Majority Standard Bible
They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.?

NET Bible
They devour widows' property, and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment."

New Heart English Bible
who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation."

Webster's Bible Translation
Who devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

Weymouth New Testament
who swallow up the property of widows and mask their wickedness by making long prayers. They will be punished far more severely than others."

World English Bible
who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
who devour the houses of the widows, and make long prayers for a pretense, these will receive more abundant judgment.”

Berean Literal Bible
who devour the houses of widows, and pray at great length as a pretext. These will receive more abundant condemnation."

Young's Literal Translation
who devour the houses of the widows, and for a pretence make long prayers, these shall receive more abundant judgment.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Who devour widows' houses, and for a pretence pray at great length; these shall receive more abundant judgment.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer. These shall receive greater damnation.

Catholic Public Domain Version
who devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayers. These will receive the greater damnation.”

New American Bible
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

New Revised Standard Version
They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Those who embezzle the property of widows with the pretence that they make long prayers; they will receive a greater judgment.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
They who consume widows houses for an offering of prolonging their prayers; those shall receive an extreme judgment.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
who eat up the houses of widows, and, for a pretext, make long prayers. These shall receive the greater condemnation.

Godbey New Testament
Who devour the houses of the widows, and pray long through pretext; they shall receive the greater judgment.

Haweis New Testament
who devour the houses of widows, and for a pretext make long prayers: these shall receive a more abundant punishment.

Mace New Testament
who under the pretext of their long prayers devour the fortunes of widows, wherefore they shall be punish'd with greater severity.

Weymouth New Testament
who swallow up the property of widows and mask their wickedness by making long prayers. They will be punished far more severely than others."

Worrell New Testament
who devour the houses of widows; and, for a pretense, make long prayers. These shall receive greater condemnation."

Worsley New Testament
who devour widows houses, and for a shew of religion make long prayers: these shall receive a heavier sentence.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Beware of the Scribes
46“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. 47They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Cross References
Matthew 23:14
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

Mark 12:40
They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.

Micah 3:11
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”

Zechariah 7:10
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’

Malachi 3:5
“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.

James 5:1-6
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. ...

2 Peter 2:3
In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

1 Timothy 6:5
and constant friction between men of depraved mind who are devoid of the truth. These men regard godliness as a means of gain.

Jeremiah 7:6
if you no longer oppress the foreigner and the fatherless and the widow, and if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods to your own harm,

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Amos 8:4-6
Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, / asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. / Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”

Matthew 6:5
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

Matthew 23:5-7
All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. / They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, / the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.


Treasury of Scripture

Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

devour.

Isaiah 10:2
To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

Jeremiah 7:6-10
If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: …

Ezekiel 22:7
In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.

for.

Luke 12:1
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Ezekiel 33:31
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

Matthew 23:26-28
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also…

the same.

Luke 10:12-14
But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city…

Luke 12:47,48
And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes

Matthew 11:22-24
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you…

Jump to Previous
Abundant Appearance's Condemnation Damnation Devour Eyes Far Greater Houses Judgment Lengthy Making Mask Offer Others Prayers Pretense Pretext Property Punished Punishment Receive Sake Severely Severer Shew Show Swallow Wickedness Widows
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Abundant Appearance's Condemnation Damnation Devour Eyes Far Greater Houses Judgment Lengthy Making Mask Offer Others Prayers Pretense Pretext Property Punished Punishment Receive Sake Severely Severer Shew Show Swallow Wickedness Widows
Luke 20
1. Jesus confirms his authority by a question of John's baptism.
9. The parable of the vineyard.
19. Of giving tribute to Caesar.
27. He instructs the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection.
41. How Jesus is the Son of David.
45. He warns his disciples to beware of the scribes.














They devour widows’ houses
This phrase highlights the exploitation of the vulnerable, specifically widows, by those in positions of religious authority. The Greek word for "devour" (κατεσθίω, katesthió) implies a voracious consumption, suggesting not just taking advantage but doing so with greed and malice. In the historical context, widows were among the most vulnerable in society, often without a male protector or provider. The religious leaders, who were supposed to be protectors of the weak, instead exploited them, possibly through legal manipulation or taking advantage of their hospitality. This behavior is condemned throughout Scripture, as seen in Isaiah 10:2 and James 1:27, where caring for widows is a mark of true religion.

and for a show make lengthy prayers
The phrase "for a show" translates from the Greek word "πρόφασις" (prophasis), meaning a pretext or outward appearance. This indicates that the prayers were not genuine acts of devotion but were performed to impress others and gain social standing. The "lengthy prayers" were likely intended to display piety and religious superiority. Jesus criticizes this behavior, emphasizing that true prayer is a humble and sincere communication with God, as seen in Matthew 6:5-6, where He instructs His followers to pray in secret rather than for public acclaim.

These men will receive greater condemnation
The term "greater condemnation" underscores the severity of judgment awaiting those who exploit others under the guise of religious authority. The Greek word for "condemnation" (κρίμα, krima) refers to a judicial verdict or sentence. In this context, it implies a divine judgment that is more severe due to the leaders' hypocrisy and abuse of power. The Bible consistently teaches that those in positions of authority are held to a higher standard, as seen in James 3:1, which warns that teachers will be judged more strictly. This serves as a sobering reminder of the responsibility that comes with leadership and the importance of integrity and genuine faith.

Verse 47. - Which devour widows' houses. Josephus specially alludes to the influence which certain of the Pharisees had acquired over women as directors of the conscience. For a show; rather, in pretence. "Their hypocrisy was so notorious that even the Talmud records the warning given by Alexander Jannaeus to his wife on his deathbed against painted Pharisees. And in their seven classes of Pharisees, the Talmudic writers place 'Shechemites,' Pharisees from self-interest; 'Stumblers,' so mock-humble that they will not raise their feet from the ground; 'Bleeders,' so mock-modest that, because they will not raise their eyes, they run against walls, etc. Thus the Jewish writers themselves depict the Pharisees as the Tartuffes of antiquity" (Farrar). Shall receive greater damnation; rather, judgment. The translators of our beautiful English version are most unhappy in their usual rendering of κρίμα.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[They]
οἳ (hoi)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

defraud
κατεσθίουσιν (katesthiousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2719: To eat up, eat till it is finished, devour, squander, annoy, injure. From kata and esthio; to eat down, i.e. Devour.

widows
χηρῶν (chērōn)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 5503: Feminine of a presumed derivative apparently from the base of chasma through the idea of deficiency; a widow, literally or figuratively.

[of their]
τὰς (tas)
Article - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

houses,
οἰκίας (oikias)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3614: From oikos; properly, residence, but usually an abode; by implication, a family.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

for a show
προφάσει (prophasei)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4392: A pretext, an excuse. From a compound of pro and phaino; an outward showing, i.e. Pretext.

make lengthy prayers.
μακρὰ (makra)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3117: Long, distant, far; of long duration. From mekos; long (distant) or time (neuter plural).

These [men]
οὗτοι (houtoi)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

will receive
λήμψονται (lēmpsontai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

greater
περισσότερον (perissoteron)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 4053: From peri; superabundant or superior; by implication, excessive; adverbially violently; neuter preeminence.

condemnation.”
κρίμα (krima)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2917: From krino; a decision ('crime').


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