Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples.
2 “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
"The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat;
3 So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
"therefore do and observe whatever they bid you; but do not do as they do, for they preach, but do not practise.
4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
"For they bind heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to move them.
5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
"For they do all their good deeds to be gazed on of men. They widen their phylacteries,
6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,
"and lengthen the tassels, and are fond of the best places at banquets, and the front seats in the synagogues.
7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.
"They enjoy salutations in the market-places, and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’
8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
"But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’; for one is your Teacher, and you are all brothers;
9 And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
"and call no one ‘Father’ on earth, for One is your Father in heaven.
10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ.
"And call no one ‘Leader,’ because One is your leader, even the Christ.
11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
"Whoever is great among you shall be your minister;
12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
"whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
13 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.
"But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces; for you do not enter, yourselves, nor do you permit those who are about to come in, to enter.
(Is wanting in the oldest manuscripts.)
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. (Geenna g1067)
"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you scour sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is gained, you make him twofold more a son of hell than you are, yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
"Woe unto you, blind guides, who say, If any one swears by the Sanctuary, it is nothing, but if any one swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, the oath is binding.
17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?
"You fools and blind; for which is greater, the gold, or the Sanctuary which hallows the gold?
18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’
"You say, too, that whoever swears by the offering that is upon it, his oath is binding.
19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
"You blind! Which is greater, the offering or the altar which hallows the offering?
20 So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
"He then, who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it;
21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it.
"and he who swears by the Sanctuary swears by it and by Him who dwells therein;
22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it.
"and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits thereon.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and anise and cummin, and neglect the weightier matters of the Law - justice and mercy and good faith; these latter you ought to have done, and not to have left the former undone.
24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
"You blind guides! who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but within they are filled with extortion and excess.
26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
"You blind Pharisees, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside of it may be clean also.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity.
"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like white- washed sepulchers. They look beautiful without, but within they are filled with dead men’s bones and all rottenness.
28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
"Just so you also outwardly appear to men, just, but within you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You rebuild the tombs of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say,
30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
"‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their comrades in the murder of the prophets.’
31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
"So you bear witness against yourselves, that you are the descendants of those who slew the prophets!
32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.
"Fill up then the measure of your fathers!
"You serpents! You vipers brood! How shall you escape the judgment of hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.
"For this cause, behold! I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and pursue from city to city;
35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
"that upon your heads may come every drop of innocent blood spilt upon the earth, from the blood of Abel, the just, to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar.
36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
"In solemn truth I tell you that all these things will come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, murdering the prophets, and stoning those who have been sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.
"Behold, your house is left to you desolate!
39 For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
"For I tell you that never shall you see me again until you say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." "nor did they know until the deluge came and swept them away; so will be the coming of the Son of man.
