Matthew 23
1 Then spoke Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat.
3 All therefore whatever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not.
Therefore observe and do all that they tell you to observe. But do not do what they do, for they say things and do not do them.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
They bind burdens that are heavy and hard to bear and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
They do all their works to be seen by others. They make their phylacteries wide and the fringes of their garments long.
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
They love the place of honor at banquets, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
greetings in the marketplaces, and when others call them ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
8 But be not you called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brothers.
But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for there is one who is your instructor, the Christ, and you are all brothers.
9 And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
And do not call anyone on earth your father, for there is one who is your Father, he who is in heaven.
10 Neither be you called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
Neither are you to be called instructors, for there is one who is your instructor, the Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
But he who is greater among you must be your servant.
12 And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive a more severe judgment.
14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut people out of the kingdom of heaven. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you let in those who are trying to enter.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and when he has become one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 Woe to you, you blind guides, which say, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
17 You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 And, Whoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is guilty.
You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’
19 You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 Whoever therefore shall swear by the altar, swears by it, and by all things thereon.
Therefore, whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 And whoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it, and by him that dwells therein.
And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him that sits thereon.
And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these you should have done, and not to leave the other undone.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. These you ought to have practiced without neglecting the other things.
24 You blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
You blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but the inside is filled with the fruits of your robbery and unrighteousness.
26 You blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Yoʋ blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside of them will also be clean.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like to white washed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness.
28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
In the same way, you also appear righteous to others on the outside, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the graves of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
and you say, ‘If we had been alive in the days of our fathers, we would not have been participants with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
31 Why you be witnesses to yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Therefore you bear witness against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill you up then the measure of your fathers.
Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
You serpents, you brood of vipers! How will you escape being sentenced to hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 Why, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you whip in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.
35 That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar.
As a result, all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth will come upon you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Truly I say to you, All these things shall come on this generation.
Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them which are sent to you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to yoʋ! How often I have wanted to gather yoʋr children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
39 For I say to you, You shall not see me from now on, till you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.
For I tell you, from now on you will certainly not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
