Matthew 23
1 Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 "The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat;
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat.
3 "therefore do and observe whatever they bid you; but do not do as they do, for they preach, but do not practise.
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 lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to 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 "For they do all their good deeds to be gazed on of men. They widen their phylacteries,
They do all their works to be seen by others. They make their phylacteries wide and the fringes of their garments long.
6 "and lengthen the tassels, and are fond of the best places at banquets, and the front seats in the synagogues.
They love the place of honor at banquets, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 "They enjoy salutations in the market-places, and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’
greetings in the marketplaces, and when others call them ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
8 "But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’; for one is your Teacher, 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 call no one ‘Father’ on earth, for One is your Father 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 "And call no one ‘Leader,’ because One is your leader, even the Christ.
Neither are you to be called instructors, for there is one who is your instructor, the Christ.
11 "Whoever is great among you shall be your minister;
But he who is greater among you must be your servant.
12 "whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 "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.
“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 (Is wanting in the oldest manuscripts.)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you let in those who are trying to enter.
15 "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)
“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 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.
“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 which is greater, the gold, or the Sanctuary which hallows the gold?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 "You say, too, that whoever swears by the offering that is upon it, his oath is binding.
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 blind! Which is greater, the offering or the altar which hallows the offering?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 "He then, who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it;
Therefore, whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 "and he who swears by the Sanctuary swears by it and by Him who dwells therein;
And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.
22 "and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits thereon.
And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
23 "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.
“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 done without neglecting the others.
24 "You blind guides! who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
You blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 "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.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of plunder and unrighteousness.
26 "You blind Pharisees, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside of it 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 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.
“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 "Just so you also outwardly appear to men, just, but within you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
In the same way, you also appear righteous to others on the outside, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You rebuild the tombs of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the graves of the righteous,
30 "‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their comrades in the murder 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 you bear witness against yourselves, that you are the descendants of those who slew the prophets!
Therefore you bear witness against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 "Fill 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 "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;
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 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.
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 "In solemn truth I tell you that all these things will come upon this generation.
Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 "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!
“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 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.
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.’”
