Matthew 23
1 Then, Jesus spake unto the multitudes and unto his disciples,
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples:
2 saying—Upon Moses’ seat, have sat down, the Scribes and the Pharisees:
“The religious teachers and the Pharisees are responsible as interpreters of the law of Moses,
3 All things, therefore, whatsoever they tell you, do and observe, —but, according to their works, do ye not, for they, say, and do not, perform.
so obey them and do everything they tell you. But don't follow what they do, because they don't practice what they preach.
4 But they bind together heavy burdens, and lay upon men’s shoulders, whereas, they, with their finger, are not willing to move them.
They tie up heavy burdens, and place them on people's shoulders, but they themselves don't lift a finger to help them.
5 But, all their works, they do, to be gazed at, by men, —for they make broad their amulets, and make large their fringes,
Everything they do is to make sure they get noticed. They make themselves large prayer boxes to wear and long tassels on their clothes.
6 And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,
They love to have the places of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues.
7 And the salutations in the market-places, and to be called by men, Rabbi.
They love to be greeted with respect in the market places, and for people to call them, ‘Rabbi.’
8 But, ye, —do not be called Rabbi, —for, one, is your Teacher, and, all ye, are brethren;
Don't let people call you ‘Rabbi.’ Only one is your Master Teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 And, father, be none of you called, upon the earth, for, one, is your Father, the Heavenly;
Don't call anyone by the title ‘Father’ here on earth. Only one is your Father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called leaders, for, your leader, is one, the Christ;
Don't let people call you ‘Teacher.’ Only one is your Teacher, the Messiah.
11 And, the greatest of you, shall be to you, a minister;
The greatest among you will be your servant.
12 And, whoever shall exalt himself, shall be, abased, and, whoever shall abase himself, shall be, exalted,
Those who make themselves great will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be made great.
13 But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye are locking up the kingdom of the heavens before men, —for, ye, are not entering, neither, them who are entering, suffer ye to enter.
But what a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You slam shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves don't go in, yet you don't let anyone in who is trying to enter.
15 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because ye compass sea and dry land, to make one convert—and, when it is done, ye make him a son of gehenna, twofold more than ye. (Geenna g1067)
What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you travel over land and sea to make a single convert, and when you do, you make him twice a son of darkness as you are yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 Alas for you, blind guides! that say—Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, is bound:
What a disaster is coming on those of you who say, ‘If you swear by the Temple that doesn't count, but if you swear by the gold of the Temple, then you have to keep your oath.’ How foolish and blind you are!
17 Foolish and blind! for which is, greater, The gold, or the Temple that hath hallowed the gold?
What is greater—the gold, or the Temple that makes the gold holy?
18 And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is bound:
You say, ‘If you swear on the altar that doesn't count, but if you swear on the sacrifice that's on the altar, then you have to keep your oath.’
19 Blind! for which is greater, The gift, or the altar that halloweth the gift?
How blind you are! What is greater—the sacrifice, or the altar that makes the sacrifice holy?
20 He therefore that hath sworn by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it;
If you swear by the altar, you swear by it and by everything that's on it.
21 And, he that hath sworn by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth therein;
If you swear by the Temple you swear by it and by the one who lives there.
22 And, he that hath sworn by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereupon.
If you swear by heaven you swear by the throne of God and the one who sits there.
23 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye tithe the mint and the anise and the cummin, —and have dismissed the weightier matters of the law—the justice, the mercy, and the faith; whereas, these, it was binding, to do, and, those, not to, dismiss.
What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay a tithe of mint, aniseed, and cumin, but you neglect the vital aspects of the law—doing good, showing mercy, exercising trust. Yes, you should pay your tithe, but don't forget these other things.
24 Blind guides! Straining out the gnat, but, the camel, swallowing.
You blind guides—you strain what you drink to keep out a fly but then you swallow a camel!
25 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, —while, within, they are full of plunder and intemperance.
What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you're full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 Blind Pharisee! cleanse, first, the inside, of the cup [and of the dish], that, the outside thereof, may become, clean.
You blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, so that the outside will also be clean.
27 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye make yourselves like sepulchres whitewashed, which, outside, indeed, appear, beautiful, but, within, are full, of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness, —
What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like white-washed tombs, looking good on the outside, but on the inside full of skeletons and all kinds of rottenness.
28 Thus, ye also, outside, indeed, appear to men, righteous, but, within, are full, of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
You're just the same. On the outside you look like good people to others, but on the inside you're full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
What a disaster is coming on you, religious teachers and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs as memorials to the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the good,
30 and say—If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets:
and you say, ‘If we had lived in the times of our ancestors we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
31 So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are, sons, of them who murdered the prophets.
But by saying this you testify against yourselves, proving that you belong to those who murdered the prophets!
32 And, ye, fill ye up the measure of your fathers!
So get on with it—finish it all off using your forefathers' methods!
You snakes, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of condemnation? (Geenna g1067)
34 For this cause, lo! I, send unto you, prophets and wise men and scribes, —some from among them, ye will slay and crucify, And some from among them ye will—scourge in your synagogues, and pursue from city to city:
That's why I'm sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers. Some of them you will kill, some of them you will crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, hunting them from town to town.
35 That there may come upon you—all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
As a result, you will be held accountable for the blood of all the good people that has been poured out on the land—from the blood of Abel, who did what was right, to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the Temple and the altar.
36 Verily, I say unto you—All these things, will have come, upon this generation.
I'm telling you, the consequences of all this will fall on this generation.
37 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! that slayeth the prophets, and stoneth them that have been sent unto her, —how often, would I have gathered thy children, like as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, —and ye would not!
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! So often I wanted to gather your children as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings—but you wouldn't let me.
38 Lo! your house is left to you;
Now look—your house is left abandoned, totally empty.
39 For I say unto you—in no wise, may ye see me, henceforth, until ye say, Blessed, is he that cometh, in the name of the Lord!
I tell you this: you won't see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
