Matthew 23:7

Weymouth New Testament

and like to be bowed to in places of public resort, and to be addressed by men as `Rabbi.'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

King James Version (1611)
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

King James Version
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

English Standard Version
and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

New American Standard Bible
and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people.

New Century Version
They love people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces, and they love to have people call them ‘Teacher.'

Amplified Bible
and to be greeted [with respect] in the market places and public forums, and to have people call them Rabbi.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.

Legacy Standard Bible
and respectful greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by men.

Berean Standard Bible
the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of 'Rabbi' by which they are addressed.

Contemporary English Version
And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers.

Complete Jewish Bible
and they love being greeted deferentially in the marketplaces and being called ‘Rabbi.'

Darby Translation
and salutations in the market-places, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Easy-to-Read Version
They love for people to show respect to them in the marketplaces and to call them ‘Teacher.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

George Lamsa Translation
And the greetings in the streets, and to be called by men, Rabbi.

Good News Translation
they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them ‘Teacher.'

Lexham English Bible
and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi' by people.

Literal Translation
and the greetings in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

American Standard Version
and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi.

Bible in Basic English
And words of respect in the market-places, and to be named by men, Teacher.

Hebrew Names Version
the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi, Rabbi' by men.

International Standard Version
to be greeted in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi'Rabbi is Heb. for Master and/or Teacher.">[fn] by people.

Etheridge Translation
and the shaloma in public places, and to be called of men Râbi [fn]

Murdock Translation
and the greeting in the market places, and to be addressed by men with Rabbi.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And greetynges in the markettes, and to be called of men, Rabbi.

English Revised Version
and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi.

World English Bible
the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi, Rabbi' by men.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And salutations in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and salutaciouns in chepyng, and to be clepid of men maystir.

Update Bible Version
and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi.

Webster's Bible Translation
And greetings in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

New English Translation
and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.'

New King James Version
greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, "Rabbi, Rabbi.'

New Living Translation
They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.'

New Life Bible
They like to have people show respect to them as they stand in the center of town where people gather. They like to be called teacher.

New Revised Standard
and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the salutations in the market-places, and to be called by men, Rabbi.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi.

Revised Standard Version
and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and gretinges in the marketes and to be called of men Rabi.

Young's Literal Translation
and the salutations in the market-places, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and loue to be saluted in the market, and to be called of me Rabbi.

Mace New Testament (1729)
to be saluted in publick places, and to have men address to them with the title of Doctor Doctor.

Simplified Cowboy Version
They care about bein' recognized at the feed store and bein' called by fancy titles.

Contextual Overview

¹ Then Jesus addressed the crowds and His disciples. ² "The Scribes," He said, "and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses. ³ Therefore do and observe everything that they command you; but do not imitate their lives, for though they tell others what to do, they do not do it themselves. ⁴ Heavy and cumbrous burdens they bind together and load men's shoulders with them, while as for themselves, not with one finger do they choose to lift them. ⁵ And everything they do they do with a view to being observed by men; for they widen their phylacteries and make the tassels large, ⁶ and love the best seats at a dinner party or in the synagogues, ⁷ and like to be bowed to in places of public resort, and to be addressed by men as `Rabbi.' <sup>8</sup> "As for you, do not accept the title of `Rabbi,' for one alone is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And call no one on earth your Father, for One alone is your Father--the Heavenly Father. ¹⁰ And do not accept the name of `leader,' for your Leader is one alone--the Christ.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Rabbi: John 1:38, John 1:49, John 3:2, John 3:26, John 6:25, John 20:16

Reciprocal: Luke 9:46 - General

Cross-References

Hebrews 12:14
but may rather be restored. Persistently strive for peace with all men, and for that growth in holiness apart from which no one will see the Lord.

1 Peter 3:8
In conclusion, all of you should be of one mind, quick to sympathize, kind to the brethren, tenderhearted, lowly-minded,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And greetings in the markets,.... They used to stroll about the markets, being public places, where there was a great concourse of people, on purpose to be taken notice of before multitudes, with singular marks of respect; as stretching out the hand, uncovering the head, and bowing the knee:

and to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi; because of their great authority, and largeness of their knowledge: the repetition of the word Rabbi, is not made in the Vulgate Latin, nor in the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, nor in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, but is in all the Greek copies, and very justly; since it was usual in the salutations of them, to double the word. It is reported f of R. Eleazar ben Simeon, of Migdal Gedur, that having reproached a deformed man he met in the road; when he came to the city where the man lived,

"the citizens came out to meet him, and said to him, peace be upon thee, רבי רבי מורי מורי, "Rabbi, Rabbi, Master, Master"; he (Eleazar) said to them, who do you call "Rabbi, Rabbi?" They replied to him, he who followed thee: he said unto them, if this be a Rabbi, let there not be many such in Israel.''

The Jews pretend, that king Jehoshaphat used to salute the doctors with these titles; though they forget that they were not in use in his time, as will be hereafter observed: they say g,

"whenever he saw a disciple of the wise men, he rose from his throne, and embraced and kissed him, and called him,

אבי אבי רבי רבי מרי מרי, "Father, Father, Rabbi, Rabbi, Master, Master".''

Where you have the three different words used by our Lord in this and the following verses, by which these men loved to be called, and he inveighed against; nay, they not only suggest, that kings gave them these honourable titles, and they expected them from them, but even they liked to be called kings themselves. It is said h of R. Hona arid R. Chasda, that as they were sitting together, one passed by them,

"and said to them, "peace be to you kings", עליכו מלכי

שלמא, "peace be to you kings": they said to him, from whence does it appear to thee, that the Rabbins are called kings? He replied to them, from what is written, "by me kings reign", c. They said to him, from whence hast thou it, that we are to double or repeat peace, or salutation to kings? He answered them, that R. Judah said, that Rab said from hence, 1 Chronicles 12:18. "Then the spirit came upon Amasai", c.''

This title began but to be in use in the time of our Lord, or a very little while before: none of the prophets had it, nor Ezra the Scribe, nor the men of the great synagogue, nor Simeon the Just, the last of them nor Antigonus, a man of Socho, a disciple of his: and it is observed by the Jews themselves i, that

"the five couple are never called by the name of Rabban, nor by the name of Rabbi, only by their own name.''

By whom are meant, Joseph ben Joezer, and Joseph ben Jochanan Joshua ben Perachia, said to be the master of Jesus of Nazareth, and Nittai the Arbelite; Judah ben Tabai, and Simeon ben Shetach; Shemaiah and Abtalion; Hillell and Shammai. The sons, or disciples of the two last, first took these titles. Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillell, thought by some to be the same Simeon that had Christ in his arms, is k said to be the first that was called by this name; and it is also observed by them l, that Rabban was a name of greater honour than Rabbi, or Rab, and that Rabbi was more honourable than Rab; and to be called by a man's own name, was more honourable than any of them. The Karaite Jews make much the same complaint, and give much the same account of the pride and vanity of the Rabbinical doctors, as Christ here does; for so one of them says m;

"The Karaites do not use to act according to the custom of the wise men among the Rabbans, to make to themselves gods of silver, and guides of gold, with this view, להקרא רב, "to be called Rab"; and also to gather wealth and food to fulness, &c.''

f T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 20. 2. g T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 24. 1. & Cetubot, fol. 103. 2. h T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 62. 1. i Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 21. 1. k Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 25. 1. l lb. m Eliahu Adderet, c. 6. apud Trigland. de. Sect. Kar. c. 10. p. 164.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Greetings in the markets - Markets were places where multitudes of people were assembled together. They were pleased with special attention in public places, and desired that all should show them particular respect.

Greetings - Salutations. See the notes at Luke 10:4.

To be called Rabbi, Rabbi - This word literally signifies great. It was a title given to eminent teachers of the law among the Jews; a title of honor and dignity, denoting authority and ability to teach. They were gratified with such titles, and wished it given to themselves as denoting superiority. Every time it was given to them it implied their superiority to the persons who used it, and they were fond, therefore, of hearing it often applied to them. There were three titles in use among the Jews - Rab, Rabbi, and Rabban - denoting different degrees of learning and ability, as literary degrees do among us.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 23:7. To be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. — רבי רבי, i.e. My teacher! my teacher! The second rabbi is omitted by several excellent MSS., by most of the ancient versions, and by some of the fathers. Griesbach has left it in the text, with the note of doubtfulness.

There are three words used among the Jews as titles of dignity, which they apply to their doctors - Rabh, Rabbi, and Rabban; each of these terms has its particular meaning: rabban implies much more than rabbi, and rabbi much more than rabh.

They may be considered as three degrees of comparison: rabh great, rabbi greater, and rabban greatest. These rabbins were looked up to as infallible oracles in religious matters, and usurped not only the place of the law, but of God himself.