Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

they that devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.

Who devour the houses of widows under the pretence of long prayer: these shall receive greater judgment.

who devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext make long prayers. These shall receive a severer judgment.

Who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

who are devouring the widows' houses, and for a pretence are making long prayers; these shall receive more abundant judgment.'

and who swallow up the property of widows and then mask their wickedness by making long prayers: these men will receive far heavier punishment."

Who take away the property of widows, and before the eyes of men make long prayers; these will be judged more hardly.

who devour the houses of widows under the pretense of long prayers. These shall receive the more extensive judgment."

They are the men who rob widows of their homes, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier."

Which devour widows' houses - Which devour the families of widows, or the means of supporting their families. This they did under pretence of counseling them in the knowledge of the law and in the management of their estates. They took advantage of their ignorance and their unprotected state, and either extorted large sums for their counsel, or perverted the property to their own use.
No wonder that our Saviour denounced them! If there is any sin of special enormity, it is that of taking advantage of the circumstances of the poor, the needy, and the helpless, to wrong them out of the pittance on which they depend for the support of their families; and as God is the friend of the widow and the fatherless, it may be expected that such will be visited with heavy condemnation.
For a pretence - For show, or "pretending" great devotion.

Which devour widows' houses,.... See Gill on Matthew 23:14.

Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation--They took advantage of their helpless condition and confiding character to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much the "greater damnation" awaited them. (Compare Matthew 23:33). A lifelike description this of the Romish clergy, the true successors of "the scribes."