diff --git a/lib/jwt/__init__.py b/lib/jwt/__init__.py
index 0631c99c..3208c39f 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/jwt/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from .exceptions import (
 )
 from .jwks_client import PyJWKClient
 
-__version__ = "2.2.0"
+__version__ = "2.3.0"
 
 __title__ = "PyJWT"
 __description__ = "JSON Web Token implementation in Python"
diff --git a/lib/jwt/api_jws.py b/lib/jwt/api_jws.py
index a61d2277..f85072e0 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/api_jws.py
+++ b/lib/jwt/api_jws.py
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@ class PyJWS:
             key = alg_obj.prepare_key(key)
             signature = alg_obj.sign(signing_input, key)
 
-        except KeyError:
+        except KeyError as e:
             if not has_crypto and algorithm in requires_cryptography:
                 raise NotImplementedError(
                     "Algorithm '%s' could not be found. Do you have cryptography "
                     "installed?" % algorithm
-                )
+                ) from e
             else:
-                raise NotImplementedError("Algorithm not supported")
+                raise NotImplementedError("Algorithm not supported") from e
 
         segments.append(base64url_encode(signature))
 
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ class PyJWS:
         key: str = "",
         algorithms: List[str] = None,
         options: Dict = None,
+        **kwargs,
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         if options is None:
             options = {}
@@ -162,8 +163,9 @@ class PyJWS:
         key: str = "",
         algorithms: List[str] = None,
         options: Dict = None,
+        **kwargs,
     ) -> str:
-        decoded = self.decode_complete(jwt, key, algorithms, options)
+        decoded = self.decode_complete(jwt, key, algorithms, options, **kwargs)
         return decoded["payload"]
 
     def get_unverified_header(self, jwt):
@@ -236,8 +238,8 @@ class PyJWS:
             if not alg_obj.verify(signing_input, key, signature):
                 raise InvalidSignatureError("Signature verification failed")
 
-        except KeyError:
-            raise InvalidAlgorithmError("Algorithm not supported")
+        except KeyError as e:
+            raise InvalidAlgorithmError("Algorithm not supported") from e
 
     def _validate_headers(self, headers):
         if "kid" in headers:
diff --git a/lib/jwt/api_jwt.py b/lib/jwt/api_jwt.py
index 7e21b754..f3b55d36 100644
--- a/lib/jwt/api_jwt.py
+++ b/lib/jwt/api_jwt.py
@@ -68,9 +68,7 @@ class PyJWT:
         key: str = "",
         algorithms: List[str] = None,
         options: Dict = None,
-        audience: Optional[Union[str, List[str]]] = None,
-        issuer: Optional[str] = None,
-        leeway: Union[float, timedelta] = 0,
+        **kwargs,
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         if options is None:
             options = {"verify_signature": True}
@@ -94,6 +92,7 @@ class PyJWT:
             key=key,
             algorithms=algorithms,
             options=options,
+            **kwargs,
         )
 
         try:
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ class PyJWT:
             raise DecodeError("Invalid payload string: must be a json object")
 
         merged_options = {**self.options, **options}
-        self._validate_claims(payload, merged_options, audience, issuer, leeway)
+        self._validate_claims(payload, merged_options, **kwargs)
 
         decoded["payload"] = payload
         return decoded
@@ -115,20 +114,18 @@ class PyJWT:
         key: str = "",
         algorithms: List[str] = None,
         options: Dict = None,
-        audience: Optional[Union[str, List[str]]] = None,
-        issuer: Optional[str] = None,
-        leeway: Union[float, timedelta] = 0,
+        **kwargs,
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        decoded = self.decode_complete(
-            jwt, key, algorithms, options, audience, issuer, leeway
-        )
+        decoded = self.decode_complete(jwt, key, algorithms, options, **kwargs)
         return decoded["payload"]
 
-    def _validate_claims(self, payload, options, audience, issuer, leeway):
+    def _validate_claims(
+        self, payload, options, audience=None, issuer=None, leeway=0, **kwargs
+    ):
         if isinstance(leeway, timedelta):
             leeway = leeway.total_seconds()
 
-        if not isinstance(audience, (str, type(None), Iterable)):
+        if not isinstance(audience, (bytes, str, type(None), Iterable)):
             raise TypeError("audience must be a string, iterable, or None")
 
         self._validate_required_claims(payload, options)