the Third Week after Easter
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New King James Version
Matthew 23:33
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- CondensedParallel Translations
“Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?
Yee serpents, yee generation of vipers, How can yee escape the damnation of hell?
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
"You snakes, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
"You are snakes! A family of poisonous snakes! How are you going to escape God's judgment?
"You serpents, you spawn of vipers, how can you escape the penalty of hell?
"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
You are nothing but snakes and the children of snakes! How can you escape going to hell?
"You snakes! Sons of snakes! How can you escape being condemned to Gei-Hinnom?
Serpents, offspring of vipers, how should ye escape the judgment of hell?
"You are snakes! You are from a family of poisonous snakes! You will not escape God. You will all be judged guilty and go to hell!
O serpents, the generation of vipers, howe should ye escape the damnation of hell!
O you serpents, and seed of scorpions! how can you flee from the judgment of hell?
You snakes and children of snakes! How do you expect to escape from being condemned to hell?
Serpents! Offspring of vipers! How will you escape from the condemnation to hell?
Serpents! Offspring of vipers! How shall you escape the judgment of Hell?
Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?
You snakes, offspring of snakes, how will you be kept from the punishment of hell?
You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehinnom?
You snakes, you children of serpents! How can you escape being condemned to hell?Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom">[fn]Matthew 3:7; 12:34;">[xr]
Serpents, birth of vipers ! how will you escape from the judgment of gihana ?
Ye serpents, ye race of vipers: how can ye escape the condemnation of hell?
Ye serpentes, ye generation of vipers, howe wyll ye escape the dampnation of hell?
Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?
You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
O serpents, O vipers' brood, how are you to escape condemnation to Gehenna?
Ye eddris, and eddris briddis, hou schulen ye fle fro the doom of helle?
You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how shall you escape the judgment of hell?
[Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
You snakes! You family of snakes! How can you be kept from hell?
You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell?
Serpents! broods of vipers! how should ye flee from the judgment of gehenna?
You serpents, generation of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of hell?
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
Yee serpentes and generacion of vipers how shuld ye scape ye dapnacio of hell?
`Serpents! brood of vipers! how may ye escape from the judgment of the gehenna?
O ye serpentes, O ye generacion of vypers, how wyl ye escape the damnacion of Hell?
ye serpents, ye brood of vipers, how can ye escape the punishment of Gehenna?
"Snakes! Reptilian sneaks! Do you think you can worm your way out of this? Never have to pay the piper? It's on account of people like you that I send prophets and wise guides and scholars generation after generation—and generation after generation you treat them like dirt, greeting them with lynch mobs, hounding them with abuse.
You're all coyotes! You're the bastard sons of coyotes! How are you gonna escape the truck that leads to the slaughterhouse?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
serpents: Matthew 3:7, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 21:34, Matthew 21:35, Genesis 3:15, Psalms 58:3-5, Isaiah 57:3, Isaiah 57:4, Luke 3:7, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Revelation 12:9
how: Matthew 23:14, Hebrews 2:3, Hebrews 10:29, Hebrews 12:25
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 32:22 - lowest Psalms 2:5 - Then Psalms 58:4 - serpent Isaiah 1:4 - a seed Isaiah 20:6 - and how Isaiah 59:12 - our transgressions Jeremiah 44:14 - shall escape Lamentations 4:13 - that Ezekiel 17:15 - shall he escape Ezekiel 22:4 - and thou hast Matthew 26:4 - by Mark 12:40 - long Luke 6:39 - shall Luke 16:23 - in hell Acts 2:40 - untoward Acts 28:3 - came Romans 2:3 - that thou shalt 1 Corinthians 6:10 - thieves Galatians 5:9 - General 1 Thessalonians 5:3 - and they
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Ye servants, ye generation of vipers,.... The latter of these names, John the Baptist calls the Sadducees and Pharisees by, in Matthew 3:7 and Christ, in Matthew 12:34 both express their craft and subtlety, their inward poison, and venomous nature; their fair outside, and specious pretences; their hypocrisy, malice, and wickedness; in which they were like to the old serpent, their father the devil, and to their ancestors, that murdered the prophets; nor could any good thing be expected, from such a viperous generation:
how can ye escape the damnation of hell? signifying, that it was impossible that they should; nor could they surely expect it themselves, who must be conscious to themselves of their wickedness, malice, and deceit. The Persic version reads it, "where can ye escape?" c. and so Beza says it was read, in one ancient copy of his and the sense is, whither can ye flee? to whom, or what can you have recourse to, to screen you from the wrath to come? Rocks and mountains, caves and dens, will be of no service. The phrase,
××× × ×©× ×××× ×, "the judgment, or damnation of hell", is a phrase often used in the Talmud p, and Midrashes q of the Jews; and intends future torment, and the everlasting vengeance and wrath of God, the unquenchable fire prepared for the devil and his angels, and which impenitent unbelieving sinners cannot escape.
p T. Bab. Berncot, fol. 61. 1. Erubin, fol. 18. 2. Yebamot, fol. 102. 2. Sota, fol. 4. 2. & 5. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 10. 1. q Bemidbar Rabba, fol. 203. 1. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 14. 2. & Midrash Kohelet, fol. 76. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Ye serpents - This name is given to them on account of their pretending to be pious, and very much devoted to God, but being secretly evil, At the heart, with all their pretensions, they were filled with evil designs, as the serpent was, Genesis 3:1-5
Generation of vipers - See the notes at Matthew 12:34.
Damnation of hell - This refers, beyond all question, to future punishment. So great was their wickedness and hypocrisy, that, if they persevered in this course, it was impossible to escape the damnation that should come on the guilty. This is the sternest language that Jesus ever used to wicked people. But it by no means authorizes ministers to use such language to sinners now. Christ knew that this was true of them. He had an authority which none now have. It is not the province of ministers to denounce judgment, or to use severe names, least of all to do it on pretence of imitating Christ. He knew the hearts of people. We know them not. He had authority to declare certainly that those whom he addressed would be lost. We have no such authority. He addressed persons; we address characters.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 33. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers — What a terrible stroke! - Ye are serpents, and the offspring of serpents. This refers to Matthew 23:31: they confessed that they were the children of those who murdered the prophets; and they are now going to murder Christ and his followers, to show that they have not degenerated - an accursed seed, of an accursed breed. My old MS. translates this passage oddly - Gee serpentis, fruytis of burrownyngis of eddris that sleen her modris. There seems to be here an allusion to a common opinion, that the young of the adder or viper which are brought forth alive eat their way through the womb of their mothers. Hence that ancient enigma attributed to LACTANTIUS: -
Non possum nasci, si non occidero matrem.
Occidi matrem: sed me manet exitus idem.
Id mea mors faciet, quod jam mea fecit origo.
Cael. Firm. Symposium, N. xv.
I never can be born, nor see the day,
Till through my parent's womb I eat my way.
Her I have slain; like her must yield my breath;
For that which gave me life, shall cause my death.
Every person must see with what propriety this was applied to the Jews, who were about to murder the very person who gave them their being and all their blessings.
