Mark 12:38

In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses His disciples in the hearing of the crowd while teaching, immediately after questioning how the Messiah can be both David’s son and David’s Lord.

The words — The imperative βλέπετε (blepete) literally commands "do beware," functioning as a direct warning rather than a general observation.

The thread — This warning against religious pride appears in parallel accounts at Matthew 23:1 and Luke 20:45, with the same critique of seeking honor recorded in Luke 11:43.

Why it lands — The text explicitly notes that scribes desire long robes, marketplace greetings, chief seats, and places of honor, and it asks readers to examine their own motives for public recognition.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

Cross-references

Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
Luke 20:45 In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples,
Luke 11:43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.
Matthew 6:5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
Matthew 10:17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
Mark 4:2 And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,
Luke 14:7 When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
3 John 1:9 I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.