馬太福音 23
1 那時，耶穌對眾人和門徒講論，
Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
2 說：「文士和法利賽人坐在摩西的位上，
“Moses was the [renowned] teacher who taught [the people the laws that God gave him] [MTY]. Now, the Pharisees and the men who teach our [Jewish] laws have made themselves the ones who interpret those laws [IDM].
3 凡他們所吩咐你們的，你們都要謹守遵行。但不要效法他們的行為；因為他們能說，不能行。
Consequently, you should do whatever they tell you that you must do. But do not do what they do, because they themselves do not do what they tell [you that you must do].
4 他們把難擔的重擔捆起來，擱在人的肩上，但自己一個指頭也不肯動。
They [require you to obey many rules that are difficult to obey]. But they themselves [do not help anyone obey those rules. It is] as if they are tying up loads that are hard to carry and putting them on your shoulders [MET] [for you to carry. But they] themselves [do not desire to help anyone obey those laws. They are like] people who do not want to lift [even the slightest load] that they [could lift] [MET]
5 他們一切所做的事都是要叫人看見，所以將佩戴的經文做寬了，衣裳的繸子做長了，
[with] one finger. Whatever they do, they do it to be seen by other people {so that other people will see them doing that}. [For example], they make extra wide the tiny boxes containing portions of Scripture that they wear on their arms. They enlarge the tassels on their robes, [to make others think that they are pious].
6 喜愛筵席上的首座，會堂裏的高位，
[They want people to honor them. For example], at dinner parties they sit in the seats where the most important people sit. In the places of worship [they want to sit] in the seats where the most honored people sit.
7 又喜愛人在街市上問他安，稱呼他拉比 。
Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
8 但你們不要受拉比的稱呼，因為只有一位是你們的夫子；你們都是弟兄。
But you [who are my disciples] should not allow people to address you [honorably] as ‘Rabbi’, [which means ‘teacher]’. I [am the] only one who is [really] your teacher, which means that you are all [equal, like] brothers and sisters, [and none of you should act superior to another, as the Pharisees do].
9 也不要稱呼地上的人為父，因為只有一位是你們的父，就是在天上的父。
Do not [honor anyone] on earth [by] addressing him as ‘Father’, because God, your Father in heaven, is the only [spiritual] father of all of you.
10 也不要受師尊的稱呼，因為只有一位是你們的師尊，就是基督。
Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
11 你們中間誰為大，誰就要作你們的用人。
In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
12 凡自高的，必降為卑；自卑的，必升為高。
[God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
13 「你們這假冒為善的文士和法利賽人有禍了！因為你們正當人前，把天國的門關了，自己不進去，正要進去的人，你們也不容他們進去。
[Then Jesus said to the religious leaders], “You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! There will be terrible punishment for [you, because by teaching what is false], you [prevent people] [MTY/HYP] [who are thinking about letting] God rule their lives [from doing that] [MET]. [What you are doing is like] closing a gate [MET] [so that people who] are wanting to enter [a city cannot go in]. As for you, [you do not let] God [rule your lives. Neither do you allow] other people [to let God rule their lives. What you do is like] not going into a [house] yourselves, and not allowing others to enter it [either] [MET].”
“You are hypocrites, you men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees! Your punishment will be terrible, because you exert yourselves very much to get [even] one person to believe what you teach. For instance, you travel across seas and lands [to distant places] in order to do that. And [as a result], when one person [believes what you teach], you make that person much more deserving to go to hell than you yourselves [deserve to].” (Geenna g1067)
16 「你們這瞎眼領路的有禍了！你們說：『凡指着殿起誓的，這算不得甚麼；只是凡指着殿中金子起誓的，他就該謹守。』
“You [Jewish leaders], your punishment will be terrible! You are [like people who are] blind [MET] who are trying to lead others. You say, ‘[In the case of] those who promise to [do] something and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what] they have promised. But if they ask the gold that is in the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], they must do what they promised.’
17 你們這無知瞎眼的人哪，甚麼是大的？是金子呢？還是叫金子成聖的殿呢？
You are fools, and you are [like people who are] blind [MET]! The gold [that is in the Temple] is important, but [the Temple] is even more important [RHQ], because it is the Temple that the gold is in that sets the gold apart for a special use for God.
18 你們又說：『凡指着壇起誓的，這算不得甚麼；只是凡指着壇上禮物起誓的，他就該謹守。』
Also [you say], ‘In the case of those who promise to [do] something and then ask [the altar to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what they have promised]. But if they ask the gift [that] they have put on the altar [to support what they have promised], they must do [what they promised].’
19 你們這瞎眼的人哪，甚麼是大的？是禮物呢？還是叫禮物成聖的壇呢？
[You are like people who are] blind [MET]. The gift [that is offered] on the altar is important, but the altar is even more important [RHQ] because it is the altar on which the offering is offered that sets it apart for a special use for God.
20 所以，人指着壇起誓，就是指着壇和壇上一切所有的起誓；
So, those who promise to do something, and then ask the altar [to affirm what they have promised] are asking everything on the altar [to support what they promised].
21 人指着殿起誓，就是指着殿和那住在殿裏的起誓；
Those who promise to do something, and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they promised], are asking that [God], to whom the Temple belongs, [will affirm what they have promised].
22 人指着天起誓，就是指着上帝的寶座和那坐在上面的起誓。
Those who promise to do something and then ask heaven [to affirm what they promised] are asking the throne of God and [God], who sits on that throne, [to affirm what they promised].”
23 「你們這假冒為善的文士和法利賽人有禍了！因為你們將薄荷、茴香、芹菜獻上十分之一，那律法上更重的事，就是公義、憐憫、信實，反倒不行了。這更重的是你們當行的；那也是不可不行的。
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites because, [even though] you give [to God] a tenth of [the herbs you produce, such as] mint, dill, and cummin, you do not [obey God’s] laws that are more important. [For example, you do not act] justly toward others, you do not act mercifully toward people, and you are not trustworthy. It is good to [give a tenth of your herbs] to God, but you should also [obey] these other [more important laws].
24 你們這瞎眼領路的，蠓蟲你們就濾出來，駱駝你們倒吞下去。
You [leaders are like] blind people [who are trying to lead others. According to your laws you say that touching gnats and camels makes you unacceptable to God. What you are doing is like] straining a gnat [out of a jar of water so that you do not swallow it and thereby become unacceptable to God], and [at the same time] swallowing a camel [with the water] [MET]!”
25 「你們這假冒為善的文士和法利賽人有禍了！因為你們洗淨杯盤的外面，裏面卻盛滿了勒索和放蕩。
“You men who teach people the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are greedy and selfish, but you [make yourselves appear holy. You are like] cups and plates that have been cleaned on the outside, but on the inside [they are very filthy].
26 你這瞎眼的法利賽人，先洗淨杯盤的裏面，好叫外面也乾淨了。
You blind Pharisees! First you must [stop being greedy and selfish]. [Then you will be able to do what] is [righteous. That will be like] cleaning the inside of a cup first. Then when you clean [MET] the outside [of the cup], [the cup will truly be clean].”
27 「你們這假冒為善的文士和法利賽人有禍了！因為你們好像粉飾的墳墓，外面好看，裏面卻裝滿了死人的骨頭和一切的污穢。
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs [SIM] that are painted white [so that people can see them and avoid touching them]. The outside surfaces are beautiful, but inside they are full of dead people’s bones and filth.
28 你們也是如此，在人前，外面顯出公義來，裏面卻裝滿了假善和不法的事。
You are [like those tombs]. When people look at you, they think that you are righteous, but in your (inner beings/hearts) you are hypocrites and you disobey [God’s] commands.”
29 「你們這假冒為善的文士和法利賽人有禍了！因為你們建造先知的墳，修飾義人的墓，說：
“You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! Your punishment will be terrible! You rebuild the tombs of the [prophets whom others killed long ago]. You decorate the monuments [that honor] righteous [people].
30 『若是我們在我們祖宗的時候，必不和他們同流先知的血。』
You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
31 這就是你們自己證明是殺害先知者的子孫了。
Thus [you recognize that you should honor the prophets, but you disregard the word of God that other men whom God has sent teach you. In that way] you testify against yourselves that you are descendants and disciples [MET] of those who killed the prophets.
32 你們去充滿你們祖宗的惡貫吧！
You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
[You people are so wicked] You are [as dangerous as poisonous] snakes [DOU, MET]! (You [foolishly] think that you will escape being punished in hell!/Do you [foolishly] think that you will escape when [God] punishes [wicked people] in hell?) [RHQ] (Geenna g1067)
34 所以我差遣先知和智慧人並文士到你們這裏來，有的你們要殺害，要釘十字架；有的你們要在會堂裏鞭打，從這城追逼到那城，
Take note that this is why I will send prophets, wise men, and other men who will teach you [my message]. You will kill some of them by nailing them to crosses, and you will kill some in other ways. You will whip some of them in the places where you worship, and [you will] chase them from city to city.
35 叫世上所流義人的血都歸到你們身上，從義人亞伯的血起，直到你們在殿和壇中間所殺的巴拉加的兒子撒迦利亞的血為止。
As a result, God will consider that you are guilty for killing [SYN] all the righteous [people], including killing [MTY] [Adam’s son] Abel, who was a righteous man [SYN], and Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you [are guilty of] killing [in the holy place] between the Temple and the altar, and for killing [all the prophets] who lived between [the times that those two men lived].
36 我實在告訴你們，這一切的罪都要歸到這世代了。」
Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
37 「耶路撒冷啊，耶路撒冷啊，你常殺害先知，又用石頭打死那奉差遣到你這裏來的人。我多次願意聚集你的兒女，好像母雞把小雞聚集在翅膀底下，只是你們不願意。
“O [people of] Jerusalem [MTY, APO], you killed the prophets [who lived long ago], and you killed others whom [God] sent to you. You killed them by throwing stones at them [DOU]! Many times I wanted to gather you together [to protect you], like a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings [MET]. But you did not want [me to do that].
38 看哪，你們的家成為荒場留給你們。
So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
39 我告訴你們，從今以後，你們不得再見我，直等到你們說：『奉主名來的是應當稱頌的。』」
Keep this in mind: You will see me again only when I [return], and you say [about me], ‘[God] is truly pleased with this man who comes with God’s authority [MTY].’”
