Matthew 23:12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

◄ Matthew 23:12 ►

New International Version
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

New Living Translation
But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

English Standard Version
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Berean Standard Bible
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Berean Literal Bible
And whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted.

King James Bible
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

New King James Version
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

New American Standard Bible
Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

NASB 1995
“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

NASB 1977
“And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Legacy Standard Bible
And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Amplified Bible
Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.

Christian Standard Bible
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

American Standard Version
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Contemporary English Version
If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.

English Revised Version
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Whoever honors himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be honored.

Good News Translation
Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great.

International Standard Version
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Majority Standard Bible
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

NET Bible
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

New Heart English Bible
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Webster's Bible Translation
And whoever shall exalt himself, shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted.

Weymouth New Testament
and one who exalts himself shall be abased, while one who abases himself shall be exalted.

World English Bible
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and whoever will exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.

Berean Literal Bible
And whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted.

Young's Literal Translation
and whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Smith's Literal Translation
And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whoever shall humble himself, shall be exalted.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But whoever has exalted himself, shall be humbled. And whoever has humbled himself, shall be exalted.

New American Bible
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

New Revised Standard Version
All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
For whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Godbey New Testament
But whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be abased; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Haweis New Testament
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and whosoever abaseth himself shall be exalted.

Mace New Testament
for whosoever exalts himself, shall be abased; and he that humbles himself, shall be exalted.

Weymouth New Testament
and one who exalts himself shall be abased, while one who abases himself shall be exalted.

Worrell New Testament
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Worsley New Testament
and whosoever will humble himself shall be exalted.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Woes to Scribes and Pharisees
…11The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13Woe 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.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:14
I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

Proverbs 29:23
A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 18:12
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Isaiah 2:11-12
The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. / For the Day of the LORD of Hosts will come against all the proud and lofty, against all that is exalted—it will be humbled—

Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

Ezekiel 21:26
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted.

Job 22:29
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.

Daniel 4:37
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

1 Samuel 2:7-8
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. / He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.

Psalm 18:27
For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.

Psalm 147:6
The LORD sustains the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground.

Treasury of Scripture

And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:4
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Job 22:29
When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

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Matthew 23

1. Jesus admonishes the people to follow good doctrine, not bad examples
5. His disciples must beware of their ambition.
13. He denounces eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness,
34. and prophesies of the destruction of Jerusalem.

Berean Study Bible

For whoever
This phrase introduces a universal principle that applies to all people, regardless of status or position. The Greek word for "whoever" is "hos," indicating an inclusive scope. This universality underscores the impartiality of God's justice and the consistent application of His principles across humanity.

exalts himself
The Greek word for "exalts" is "hypsoō," which means to lift up or elevate. In the historical context of Jesus' time, religious leaders often sought to elevate themselves through displays of piety and adherence to the law. This self-exaltation is a form of pride, which is consistently warned against throughout Scripture. Proverbs 16:18 reminds us, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

will be humbled
The Greek term "tapeinoō" is used here, meaning to bring low or to abase. This humbling is not merely a social demotion but a spiritual correction. God actively opposes the proud, as seen in James 4:6, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." The humbling process is a divine act of grace, intended to bring individuals to a place of repentance and reliance on God.

and whoever
This phrase mirrors the earlier "for whoever," reinforcing the universal application of the principle. It serves as a reminder that God's kingdom operates on principles that often invert worldly values.

humbles himself
The Greek word "tapeinoō" is again used, but in this context, it is a voluntary act. Humility is a conscious choice to lower oneself, recognizing one's dependence on God. This is exemplified by Jesus Himself, who, as described in Philippians 2:8, "humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross."

will be exalted
The Greek word "hypsoō" reappears, but now in the context of divine exaltation. This exaltation is not self-derived but is a reward from God. It reflects the biblical principle found in 1 Peter 5:6, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you." This exaltation is both a present spiritual reality and a future promise of eternal glory with Christ.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) Whosoever shall exalt himself.--The precept seems to have been one which our Lord desired specially to imprint on the hearts of the disciples. It had been spoken at least twice before, as in Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14. The echoes of it in James 4:10, 1Peter 5:6, show that the impression had been made.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - Whosever shall exalt himself shall be abased (ταπεινωθήσεται, shall be humbled); and he that shall humble (ταπεινώσει) himself shall be exalted. It is not clear why the rendering of the verb is not uniform in this verse. The antithesis certainly requires it. The gnome, so often repeated (see references), seems to be, as it has been called, "an axiom in the kingdom of God." It is indeed a universal law in God's dealings with men. Olshausen quotes a saying! of Hillel to the same purport, "My humility is my exaltation, and my exaltation is my humility." The first clause was prophetic of the speedy overthrow of the haughty Pharisees; the second is grandly illustrated in the example of Christ, who humbled himself to the death of the cross, and is now highly exalted; who "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). St. Peter draws the lesson, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:5, 6).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

For
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

whoever
Ὅστις (Hostis)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

exalts
ὑψώσει (hypsōsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5312: (a) I raise on high, lift up, (b) I exalt, set on high. From hupsos; to elevate.

himself
ἑαυτὸν (heauton)
Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

will be humbled,
ταπεινωθήσεται (tapeinōthēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5013: To make or bring low, humble, humiliate; pass: To be humbled. From tapeinos; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate.

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

whoever
ὅστις (hostis)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

humbles
ταπεινώσει (tapeinōsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5013: To make or bring low, humble, humiliate; pass: To be humbled. From tapeinos; to depress; figuratively, to humiliate.

himself
ἑαυτὸν (heauton)
Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

will be exalted.
ὑψωθήσεται (hypsōthēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5312: (a) I raise on high, lift up, (b) I exalt, set on high. From hupsos; to elevate.

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NT Gospels: Matthew 23:12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled (Matt. Mat Mt)