Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes, and to His disciples,
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 saying, “On the seat of Moses sat down the scribes and the Pharisees;
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat.
3 all, then, as much as they may say to you to observe, observe and do, but according to their works do not do, for they say, and do not do;
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 together burdens [too] heavy and grievous to bear, and lay [them] on the shoulders of men, but with their finger they will not move them.
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 And all their works they do to be seen by men, and they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the fringes 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 they also cherish the first couches at the banquets, and the first seats in the synagogues,
They love the place of honor at banquets, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
greetings in the marketplaces, and when others call them ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
8 And you may not be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher—the Christ, and you are all 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 you may not call [any] your father on the earth, for one is your Father, who is in the heavens,
And do not call anyone on earth your father, for there is one who is your Father, he who is in heaven.
10 nor may you be called teachers, for one is your teacher—the Christ.
Neither are you to be called instructors, for there is one who is your instructor, the Christ.
11 And the greater of you will be your servant,
But he who is greater among you must be your servant.
12 and whoever will exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men, for you do not go in, nor do you permit those going in to enter.
“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! Because you eat up the houses of the widows, and for a pretense make long prayers, because of this you will receive more abundant judgment.]]
“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! Because you go around the sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and whenever it may happen—you make him a son of Gehenna twofold more 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, blind guides, who are saying, Whoever may swear by the temple, it is nothing, but whoever may swear by the gold of the temple—is 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 Fools and blind! For which [is] greater, the gold, or the temple that is sanctifying the gold?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 And, Whoever may swear by the altar, it is nothing, but whoever may swear by the gift that is on it—is debtor!
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 Fools and blind! For which [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that is sanctifying the gift?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 He therefore who swore by the altar, swears by it, and by all things on it;
Therefore, whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 and he who swore by the temple, swears by it, and by Him who is dwelling in it;
And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.
22 and he who swore by Heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by Him who is sitting on it.
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! Because you give tithe of the mint, and the dill, and the cumin, and neglected the weightier things of the Law—judgment, and kindness, and faith; these it was necessary to do, and those not to neglect.
“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 Blind guides! Who are straining out the gnat, and are swallowing the camel.
You blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you make clean the outside of the cup and the plate, and within they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
“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 Blind Pharisee! First cleanse the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside of them may also become clean.
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! Because you are like to whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful, and within are full of bones of dead men, 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 so also you outwardly indeed appear to men righteous, and within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
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 graves of the prophets, and adorn the tombs 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 So that you testify to yourselves that you are sons of them who murdered the prophets;
Therefore you bear witness against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 and you fill up 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 Because of this, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and of them you will kill and crucify, and of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and will pursue 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 being poured out on the earth from the blood of Abel the righteous, to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you murdered 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 will come on this generation.
Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that are killing the prophets, and stoning those sent to you, how often I willed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her own chickens under the wings, and you did not will.
“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 may not see Me from now on, until you may say, Blessed [is] He who is coming 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!’”
