Matthew 23:22-24

International Children’s Bible

²²The person who uses heaven to make a promise is also using God’s throne and the One who sits on that throne.

²³“How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to God one-tenth of everything you earn—even your mint, dill, and cummin.^[a] But you don’t obey the really important teachings of the law—being fair, showing mercy, and being loyal. These are the things you should do, as well as those other things. ²⁴You guide the people, but you are blind! You are like a person who picks a fly out of his drink and then swallows a camel!^[b]

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Footnotes

23:23 mint, dill, and cummin Small plants grown in gardens and used for spices. Only very religious people would be careful enough to give a tenth of these plants.
23:24 You . . . camel! Meaning, “You worry about the smallest mistakes but commit the biggest sin.”