Matthew 23
1 Then spake Iesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Then Jesus, speaking to the crowds and to his disciples, said,
2 Saying, The Scribes and the Pharises sit in Moses seate.
‘The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees now occupy the chair of Moses.
3 All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue, that obserue and doe: but after their workes doe not: for they say, and doe not.
Therefore practice and lay to heart everything that they preach but do not practice.
4 For they binde heauie burdens, and grieuous to be borne, and lay them on mens shoulders, but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers.
While they make up heavy loads and pile them on other people’s shoulder’s they decline, themselves, to lift a finger to move them.
5 All their workes they doe for to be seene of men: for they make their phylacteries broad, and make long the frindges of their garments,
All their actions are done to attract attention. They widen their phylacteries, and increase the size of their tassels,
6 And loue the chiefe place at feastes, and to haue the chiefe seates in the assemblies,
and like to have the place of honour at dinner, and the best seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
and to be greeted in the markets with respect, and to be called “Rabbi” by everybody.
8 But be not ye called, Rabbi: for one is your doctour, to wit, Christ, and all ye are brethren.
But do not allow yourselves to be called “Rabbi,” for you have only one teacher, and you yourselves are all brothers and sisters.
9 And call no man your father vpon the earth: for there is but one, your father which is in heauen.
And do not call anyone on the earth your “Father,” for your have only one Father, the heavenly Father.
10 Be not called doctours: for one is your doctour, euen Christ.
Nor must you allow yourselves to be called “leaders,” for you have only one leader, the Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you, let him be your seruant.
The person who wants to be the greatest among you must be your servant.
12 For whosoeuer will exalt himselfe, shall be brought lowe: and whosoeuer will humble himselfe, shalbe exalted.
Whoever exalts themselves will be humbled, and whoever humbles themselves will be exalted.
13 Wo therefore be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites, because ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men: for ye your selues go not in, neither suffer ye them that would enter, to come in.
But alas for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You turn the key of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you do not go in yourselves, and do not allow those who try to go in to do so.
14 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye deuoure widowes houses, euen vnder a colour of long prayers: wherefore ye shall receiue the greater damnation.
15 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession: and when he is made, ye make him two folde more the childe of hell, then you your selues. (Geenna g1067)
Alas for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You scour land and sea to make a single convert, and, when they are gained, you make them twice as deserving of Gehenna as you are yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 Wo be vnto you blinde guides, which say, Whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the golde of the Temple, he offendeth.
Alas for you, you blind guides! You say “if any swear by the Temple, their oath counts for nothing; but, if anyone swears by the gold of the Temple, their oath is binding them”!
17 Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the golde, or the Temple that sanctifieth the golde?
Fools that you are and blind! Which is the more important? The gold? Or the Temple which has given sacredness to the gold?
18 And whosoeuer sweareth by the altar, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the offering that is vpon it, offendeth.
You say, too, “If anyone swears by the altar, their oath counts for nothing, but, if anyone swears by the offering placed on it, their oath is binding on them”!
19 Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the offering, or the altar which sanctifieth the offering?
Blind indeed! Which is the more important? The offering? Or the altar which gives sacredness to the offering?
20 Whosoeuer therefore sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Therefore a person, swearing by the altar, swears by it and by all that is on it,
21 And whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
and a person, swearing by the Temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it,
22 And he that sweareth by heauen, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
while a person, swearing by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.
23 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye tithe mynt, and annyse, and cummyn, and leaue the weightier matters of the law, as iudgement, and mercy and fidelitie. These ought ye to haue done, and not to haue left the other.
Alas for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You pay tithes on mint, fennel, and caraway seed, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law – justice, mercy, and good faith. These last you ought to have put into practice, without neglecting the first.
24 Ye blinde guides, which straine out a gnat, and swallowe a camell.
You blind guides, to strain out a gnat and to swallow a camel!
25 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup, and of the platter: but within they are ful of briberie and excesse.
Alas for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are filled with the results of greed and self-indulgence.
26 Thou blinde Pharise, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be cleane also.
You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may become clean as well.
27 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye are like vnto whited tombes, which appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and all filthines.
Alas for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed look fair outside, while inside they are filled with dead people’s bones and all kinds of filth.
28 So are ye also: for outwarde ye appeare righteous vnto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie.
It is the same with you. Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of religious people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and sin.
29 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye build the tombes of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Alas for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! You build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the monuments of religious people,
30 And say, If we had bene in the dayes of our fathers, we would not haue bene partners with them in the blood of the Prophets.
and say “Had we been living in the days of our ancestors, we should have taken no part in their murder of the prophets!”
31 So then ye be witnesses vnto your selues, that ye are the children of them that murthered the Prophets.
By doing this you are furnishing evidence against yourselves that you are true children of the people who murdered the prophets.
32 Fulfill ye also ye measure of your fathers.
Go on then, finish what your ancestors began!
33 O serpents, the generation of vipers, howe should ye escape the damnation of hell! (Geenna g1067)
You snakes and children of snakes! How can you escape being sentenced to Gehenna? (Geenna g1067)
34 Wherefore beholde, I send vnto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes, and of them ye shall kill and crucifie: and of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from citie to citie,
That is why I send you prophets, wise people, and teachers of the Law, some of whom you will crucify and kill, and some of whom you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from town to town;
35 That vpon you may come all the righteous blood that was shed vpon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, vnto the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whome ye slewe betweene the Temple and the altar.
so that on your heads may fall every drop of innocent blood split on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zechariah, Barachiah’s son, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.
36 Verely I say vnto you, all these things shall come vpon this generation.
All this, I tell you, will come home to the present generation.
37 Hierusalem, Hierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee, how often would I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her wings, and ye would not!
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the prophets and stones the messengers sent to her – Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not come!
38 Beholde, your habitation shalbe left vnto you desolate,
Verily, your house is left to you desolate!
39 For I say vnto you, ye shall not see mee henceforth till that ye say, Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord.
For nevermore, I tell you, will you see me, until you say – “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”’
