A frequent misinterpretation is to take this verse as a blanket rejection of evangelism or missionary zeal, implying that converting others always results in spiritually worse individuals, whereas the passage specifically targets the Pharisees' hypocrisy in imposing burdensome, external rules without inner righteousness, producing more ardent hypocrites; authentic evangelism grounded in true gospel teaching fosters disciples who grow in holiness, not doubled damnation.
Matthew 23:15
King James Version (1769)
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their intense efforts to convert one person, traveling across sea and land, only to produce a follower twice as much a child of hell as themselves, highlighting the core truth that hypocritical religion focused on external adherence corrupts others more deeply than the teachers themselves, underscoring the need for genuine heart transformation in true discipleship rather than legalistic proselytizing that leads to greater condemnation.