Matthew 16:12

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the yeast used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Τότε συνῆκαν ὅτι οὐκ εἶπεν προσέχειν ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τοῦ ἄρτου, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ τῆς διδαχῆς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων.

Transliteration

Then they synēkan that not he eipen to prosechein from the zymēs of the artou, but from the didachēs of the Pharisaiōn and Saddoukaiōn.

Grammar Details

• *synēkan*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural - they understood
• *eipen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular - he said
• *prosechein*: present active infinitive - to take heed/beware
• *zymēs*: genitive singular feminine - leaven/yeast
• *artou*: genitive singular masculine - of bread
• *didachēs*: genitive singular feminine - teaching/doctrine
• *Pharisaiōn*: genitive plural masculine - of Pharisees
• *Saddoukaiōn*: genitive plural masculine - of Sadducees

Word Meanings

• *synēkan*: understood/comprehended/perceived
• *prosechein*: to take heed/beware/be cautious
• *zymēs*: leaven/yeast/fermentation
• *didachēs*: teaching/doctrine/instruction

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then{G5119} understood they{G4920} that{G3754} he bade{G2036} them not{G3756} beware{G4337} of{G575} the leaven{G2219} of bread,{G740} but{G235} of{G575} the teaching{G1322} of the Pharisees{G5330} and{G2532} Sadducees.{G4523}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then{G5119} understood they{G4920}{(G5656)} how that{G3754} he bade{G2036}{(G5627)} them not{G3756} beware{G4337}{(G5721)} of{G575} the leaven{G2219} of bread{G740}, but{G235} of{G575} the doctrine{G1322} of the Pharisees{G5330} and{G2532} of the Sadducees{G4523}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  The vnderstode they how that he bad not them beware of the leven of breed: but of the doctrine of the Pharises and of the Saduces.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  The vnderstode they, how yt he had not the bewarre of the leue of bred, but of ye doctryne of the Pharises and of the Saduces.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then vnderstood they that he had not said that they should beware of the leauen of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharises, and Sadduces.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then vnderstoode they, howe that he bad not them beware of the leuen of bread: but of the doctrine of the Pharisees, and of the Saducees.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Then understood they how that he bade [them] not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Then they understood that he didn't tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  Then they understood that he did not say to take heed of the leaven of the bread, but of the teaching, of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then they saw that it was not the leaven of bread which he had in mind, but the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Then they understood that he didn't tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Referenced Verses

• Matt 5:20 : 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Matt 15:4-9 : 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.’ 5 But you say that if anyone declares to their father or mother, ‘What you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to honor their father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, saying, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’
• Matt 23:13-28 : 13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore, you will receive a greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are. 16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.' 17 You fools and blind! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And you say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is obligated.' 19 You fools and blind! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore, whoever swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe mint, dill, and cumin but have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may also become clean. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all impurity. 28 So too, on the outside you appear righteous to people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
• Acts 23:8 : 8 For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees affirm them all.