Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
| ܗܝܕܝܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܠܠ ܥܡ ܟܢܫܐ ܘܥܡ ܬܠܡܝܕܘܗܝ |
2 “Moses was the [renowned] teacher who taught [the people the laws that God gave him] [MTY]. Now, the Pharisees and the men who teach our [Jewish] laws have made themselves the ones who interpret those laws [IDM].
| ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܥܠ ܟܘܪܤܝܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ ܝܬܒܘ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ |
3 Consequently, you should do whatever they tell you that you must do. But do not do what they do, because they themselves do not do what they tell [you that you must do].
| ܟܠ ܡܕܡ ܗܟܝܠ ܕܢܐܡܪܘܢ ܠܟܘܢ ܕܬܛܪܘܢ ܛܪܘ ܘܥܒܕܘ ܐܝܟ ܥܒܕܝܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܠܐ ܬܥܒܕܘܢ ܐܡܪܝܢ ܓܝܪ ܘܠܐ ܥܒܕܝܢ |
4 They [require you to obey many rules that are difficult to obey]. But they themselves [do not help anyone obey those rules. It is] as if they are tying up loads that are hard to carry and putting them on your shoulders [MET] [for you to carry. But they] themselves [do not desire to help anyone obey those laws. They are like] people who do not want to lift [even the slightest load] that they [could lift] [MET]
| ܘܐܤܪܝܢ ܡܘܒܠܐ ܝܩܝܪܬܐ ܘܤܝܡܝܢ ܥܠ ܟܬܦܬܐ ܕܒܢܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܗܢܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܒܨܒܥܗܘܢ ܠܐ ܨܒܝܢ ܕܢܩܪܒܘܢ ܠܗܝܢ |
5 [with] one finger. Whatever they do, they do it to be seen by other people {so that other people will see them doing that}. [For example], they make extra wide the tiny boxes containing portions of Scripture that they wear on their arms. They enlarge the tassels on their robes, [to make others think that they are pious].
| ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܥܒܕܝܗܘܢ ܥܒܕܝܢ ܕܢܬܚܙܘܢ ܠܒܢܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܡܦܬܝܢ ܓܝܪ ܬܦܠܝܗܘܢ ܘܡܘܪܟܝܢ ܬܟܠܬܐ ܕܡܪܛܘܛܝܗܘܢ |
6 [They want people to honor them. For example], at dinner parties they sit in the seats where the most important people sit. In the places of worship [they want to sit] in the seats where the most honored people sit.
| ܘܪܚܡܝܢ ܪܫ ܤܡܟܐ ܒܚܫܡܝܬܐ ܘܪܫ ܡܘܬܒܐ ܒܟܢܘܫܬܐ |
7 Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
| ܘܫܠܡܐ ܒܫܘܩܐ ܘܕܢܗܘܘܢ ܡܬܩܪܝܢ ܡܢ ܐܢܫܐ ܪܒܝ |
8 But you [who are my disciples] should not allow people to address you [honorably] as ‘Rabbi’, [which means ‘teacher]’. I [am the] only one who is [really] your teacher, which means that you are all [equal, like] brothers and sisters, [and none of you should act superior to another, as the Pharisees do].
| ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܠܐ ܬܬܩܪܘܢ ܪܒܝ ܚܕ ܗܘ ܓܝܪ ܪܒܟܘܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܟܠܟܘܢ ܐܚܐ ܐܢܬܘܢ |
9 Do not [honor anyone] on earth [by] addressing him as ‘Father’, because God, your Father in heaven, is the only [spiritual] father of all of you.
| ܘܐܒܐ ܠܐ ܬܩܪܘܢ ܠܟܘܢ ܒܐܪܥܐ ܚܕ ܗܘ ܓܝܪ ܐܒܘܟܘܢ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ |
10 Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
| ܘܠܐ ܬܬܩܪܘܢ ܡܕܒܪܢܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܚܕ ܗܘ ܡܕܒܪܢܟܘܢ ܡܫܝܚܐ |
11 In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
| ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܪܒ ܒܟܘܢ ܢܗܘܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܡܫܡܫܢܐ |
12 [God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
| ܡܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܢܪܝܡ ܢܦܫܗ ܢܬܡܟܟ ܘܡܢ ܕܢܡܟ ܢܦܫܗ ܢܬܬܪܝܡ |
13 [Then Jesus said to the religious leaders], “You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! There will be terrible punishment for [you, because by teaching what is false], you [prevent people] [MTY/HYP] [who are thinking about letting] God rule their lives [from doing that] [MET]. [What you are doing is like] closing a gate [MET] [so that people who] are wanting to enter [a city cannot go in]. As for you, [you do not let] God [rule your lives. Neither do you allow] other people [to let God rule their lives. What you do is like] not going into a [house] yourselves, and not allowing others to enter it [either] [MET].”
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܤܒܝ ܒܐܦܐ ܕܐܟܠܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܒܬܐ ܕܐܪܡܠܬܐ ܒܥܠܬܐ ܕܡܘܪܟܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܨܠܘܬܟܘܢ ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܬܩܒܠܘܢ ܕܝܢܐ ܝܬܝܪܐ |
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܤܒܝ ܒܐܦܐ ܕܐܚܝܕܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܫܡܝܐ ܩܕܡ ܒܢܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܠܐ ܥܐܠܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܘܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܥܐܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܫܒܩܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܠܡܥܠ |
15 “You are hypocrites, you men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees! Your punishment will be terrible, because you exert yourselves very much to get [even] one person to believe what you teach. For instance, you travel across seas and lands [to distant places] in order to do that. And [as a result], when one person [believes what you teach], you make that person much more deserving to go to hell than you yourselves [deserve to].” (Geenna g1067)
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܤܒܝ ܒܐܦܐ ܕܡܬܟܪܟܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܝܡܐ ܘܝܒܫܐ ܕܬܥܒܕܘܢ ܚܕ ܓܝܘܪܐ ܘܡܐ ܕܗܘܐ ܥܒܕܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܠܗ ܒܪܗ ܕܓܗܢܐ ܐܥܦܐ ܥܠܝܟܘܢ (Geenna g1067) |
16 “You [Jewish leaders], your punishment will be terrible! You are [like people who are] blind [MET] who are trying to lead others. You say, ‘[In the case of] those who promise to [do] something and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what] they have promised. But if they ask the gold that is in the Temple [to affirm what they have promised], they must do what they promised.’
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܢܓܘܕܐ ܤܡܝܐ ܕܐܡܪܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܡܢ ܕܝܡܐ ܒܗܝܟܠܐ ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܡܕܡ ܡܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܡܐ ܒܕܗܒܐ ܕܒܗܝܟܠܐ ܚܐܒ |
17 You are fools, and you are [like people who are] blind [MET]! The gold [that is in the Temple] is important, but [the Temple] is even more important [RHQ], because it is the Temple that the gold is in that sets the gold apart for a special use for God.
| ܤܟܠܐ ܘܤܡܝܐ ܡܢܐ ܓܝܪ ܪܒ ܕܗܒܐ ܐܘ ܗܝܟܠܐ ܕܗܘ ܡܩܕܫ ܠܗ ܠܕܗܒܐ |
18 Also [you say], ‘In the case of those who promise to [do] something and then ask [the altar to affirm what they have promised], it means nothing [if they do not do what they have promised]. But if they ask the gift [that] they have put on the altar [to support what they have promised], they must do [what they promised].’
| ܘܡܢ ܕܝܡܐ ܒܡܕܒܚܐ ܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܡܕܡ ܡܢ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܡܐ ܒܩܘܪܒܢܐ ܕܠܥܠ ܡܢܗ ܚܐܒ |
19 [You are like people who are] blind [MET]. The gift [that is offered] on the altar is important, but the altar is even more important [RHQ] because it is the altar on which the offering is offered that sets it apart for a special use for God.
| ܤܟܠܐ ܘܥܘܝܪܐ ܡܢܐ ܪܒ ܩܘܪܒܢܐ ܐܘ ܡܕܒܚܐ ܕܡܩܕܫ ܠܩܘܪܒܢܐ |
20 So, those who promise to do something, and then ask the altar [to affirm what they have promised] are asking everything on the altar [to support what they promised].
| ܡܢ ܕܝܡܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܒܡܕܒܚܐ ܝܡܐ ܒܗ ܘܒܟܠ ܡܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܠܥܠ ܡܢܗ |
21 Those who promise to do something, and then ask the Temple [to affirm what they promised], are asking that [God], to whom the Temple belongs, [will affirm what they have promised].
| ܘܡܢ ܕܝܡܐ ܒܗܝܟܠܐ ܝܡܐ ܒܗ ܘܒܡܢ ܕܥܡܪ ܒܗ |
22 Those who promise to do something and then ask heaven [to affirm what they promised] are asking the throne of God and [God], who sits on that throne, [to affirm what they promised].”
| ܘܡܢ ܕܝܡܐ ܒܫܡܝܐ ܝܡܐ ܒܟܘܪܤܝܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘܒܡܢ ܕܝܬܒ ܠܥܠ ܡܢܗ |
23 “You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites because, [even though] you give [to God] a tenth of [the herbs you produce, such as] mint, dill, and cummin, you do not [obey God’s] laws that are more important. [For example, you do not act] justly toward others, you do not act mercifully toward people, and you are not trustworthy. It is good to [give a tenth of your herbs] to God, but you should also [obey] these other [more important laws].
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܤܒܝ ܒܐܦܐ ܕܡܥܤܪܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܢܢܥܐ ܘܫܒܬܐ ܘܟܡܘܢܐ ܘܫܒܩܬܘܢ ܝܩܝܪܬܗ ܕܢܡܘܤܐ ܕܝܢܐ ܘܚܢܢܐ ܘܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܝܢ ܘܠܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܬܥܒܕܘܢ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܠܐ ܬܫܒܩܘܢ |
24 You [leaders are like] blind people [who are trying to lead others. According to your laws you say that touching gnats and camels makes you unacceptable to God. What you are doing is like] straining a gnat [out of a jar of water so that you do not swallow it and thereby become unacceptable to God], and [at the same time] swallowing a camel [with the water] [MET]!”
| ܢܓܘܕܐ ܤܡܝܐ ܕܡܨܠܠܝܢ ܒܩܐ ܘܒܠܥܝܢ ܓܡܠܐ |
25 “You men who teach people the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are greedy and selfish, but you [make yourselves appear holy. You are like] cups and plates that have been cleaned on the outside, but on the inside [they are very filthy].
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܤܒܝ ܒܐܦܐ ܕܡܕܟܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܒܪܗ ܕܟܤܐ ܘܕܙܒܘܪܐ ܠܓܘ ܕܝܢ ܡܠܝܢ ܚܛܘܦܝܐ ܘܥܘܠܐ |
26 You blind Pharisees! First you must [stop being greedy and selfish]. [Then you will be able to do what] is [righteous. That will be like] cleaning the inside of a cup first. Then when you clean [MET] the outside [of the cup], [the cup will truly be clean].”
| ܦܪܝܫܐ ܥܘܝܪܐ ܕܟܘ ܠܘܩܕܡ ܓܘܗ ܕܟܤܐ ܘܕܙܒܘܪܐ ܕܗܘܐ ܐܦ ܒܪܗܘܢ ܕܟܐ |
27 “You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs [SIM] that are painted white [so that people can see them and avoid touching them]. The outside surfaces are beautiful, but inside they are full of dead people’s bones and filth.
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܤܒܝ ܒܐܦܐ ܕܕܡܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܠܩܒܪܐ ܡܟܠܫܐ ܕܡܢ ܠܒܪ ܡܬܚܙܝܢ ܫܦܝܪܐ ܡܢ ܠܓܘ ܕܝܢ ܡܠܝܢ ܓܪܡܐ ܕܡܝܬܐ ܘܟܠܗ ܛܢܦܘܬܐ |
28 You are [like those tombs]. When people look at you, they think that you are righteous, but in your (inner beings/hearts) you are hypocrites and you disobey [God’s] commands.”
| ܗܟܢܐ ܐܦ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܡܢ ܠܒܪ ܡܬܚܙܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܠܒܢܝ ܐܢܫܐ ܐܝܟ ܙܕܝܩܐ ܘܡܢ ܠܓܘ ܡܠܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܥܘܠܐ ܘܡܤܒ ܒܐܦܐ |
29 “You men who teach the [Jewish] laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! Your punishment will be terrible! You rebuild the tombs of the [prophets whom others killed long ago]. You decorate the monuments [that honor] righteous [people].
| ܘܝ ܠܟܘܢ ܤܦܪܐ ܘܦܪܝܫܐ ܢܤܒܝ ܒܐܦܐ ܕܒܢܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܩܒܪܐ ܕܢܒܝܐ ܘܡܨܒܬܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܒܝܬ ܩܒܘܪܐ ܕܙܕܝܩܐ |
30 You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
| ܘܐܡܪܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܐܠܘ ܗܘܝܢ ܒܝܘܡܝ ܐܒܗܝܢ ܠܐ ܗܘܝܢ ܗܘܝܢ ܠܗܘܢ ܫܘܬܦܐ ܒܕܡܐ ܕܢܒܝܐ |
31 Thus [you recognize that you should honor the prophets, but you disregard the word of God that other men whom God has sent teach you. In that way] you testify against yourselves that you are descendants and disciples [MET] of those who killed the prophets.
| ܡܕܝܢ ܡܤܗܕܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܥܠ ܢܦܫܟܘܢ ܕܒܢܝܐ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܕܗܢܘܢ ܕܩܛܠܘ ܠܢܒܝܐ |
32 You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
| ܘܐܦ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܡܠܘ ܡܫܘܚܬܐ ܕܐܒܗܝܟܘܢ |
33 [You people are so wicked] You are [as dangerous as poisonous] snakes [DOU, MET]! (You [foolishly] think that you will escape being punished in hell!/Do you [foolishly] think that you will escape when [God] punishes [wicked people] in hell?) [RHQ] (Geenna g1067)
| ܚܘܘܬܐ ܝܠܕܐ ܕܐܟܕܢܐ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܬܥܪܩܘܢ ܡܢ ܕܝܢܐ ܕܓܗܢܐ (Geenna g1067) |
34 Take note that this is why I will send prophets, wise men, and other men who will teach you [my message]. You will kill some of them by nailing them to crosses, and you will kill some in other ways. You will whip some of them in the places where you worship, and [you will] chase them from city to city.
| ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܗܐ ܐܢܐ ܡܫܕܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܘܬܟܘܢ ܢܒܝܐ ܘܚܟܝܡܐ ܘܤܦܪܐ ܡܢܗܘܢ ܩܛܠܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܘܙܩܦܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܘܡܢܗܘܢ ܡܢܓܕܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܒܟܢܘܫܬܟܘܢ ܘܬܪܕܦܘܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܡܢ ܡܕܝܢܐ ܠܡܕܝܢܐ |
35 As a result, God will consider that you are guilty for killing [SYN] all the righteous [people], including killing [MTY] [Adam’s son] Abel, who was a righteous man [SYN], and Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you [are guilty of] killing [in the holy place] between the Temple and the altar, and for killing [all the prophets] who lived between [the times that those two men lived].
| ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܢܐܬܐ ܥܠܝܟܘܢ ܟܠܗ ܕܡܐ ܕܙܕܝܩܐ ܕܐܬܐܫܕ ܥܠ ܐܪܥܐ ܡܢ ܕܡܗ ܕܗܒܝܠ ܙܕܝܩܐ ܘܥܕܡܐ ܠܕܡܗ ܕܙܟܪܝܐ ܒܪ ܒܪܟܝܐ ܗܘ ܕܩܛܠܬܘܢ ܒܝܢܝ ܗܝܟܠܐ ܠܡܕܒܚܐ |
36 Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
| ܐܡܝܢ ܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܕܢܐܬܝܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܟܠܗܝܢ ܥܠ ܫܪܒܬܐ ܗܕܐ |
37 “O [people of] Jerusalem [MTY, APO], you killed the prophets [who lived long ago], and you killed others whom [God] sent to you. You killed them by throwing stones at them [DOU]! Many times I wanted to gather you together [to protect you], like a hen gathers her young chicks under her wings [MET]. But you did not want [me to do that].
| ܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܐܘܪܫܠܡ ܩܛܠܬ ܢܒܝܐ ܘܪܓܡܬ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܫܠܝܚܝܢ ܠܘܬܗ ܟܡܐ ܙܒܢܝܢ ܨܒܝܬ ܕܐܟܢܫ ܒܢܝܟܝ ܐܝܟ ܕܟܢܫܐ ܬܪܢܓܘܠܬܐ ܦܪܘܓܝܗ ܬܚܝܬ ܓܦܝܗ ܘܠܐ ܨܒܝܬܘܢ |
38 So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
| ܗܐ ܡܫܬܒܩ ܠܟܘܢ ܒܝܬܟܘܢ ܚܪܒܐ |
39 Keep this in mind: You will see me again only when I [return], and you say [about me], ‘[God] is truly pleased with this man who comes with God’s authority [MTY].’”
| ܐܡܪܢܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܓܝܪ ܕܠܐ ܬܚܙܘܢܢܝ ܡܢ ܗܫܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܬܐܡܪܘܢ ܒܪܝܟ ܗܘ ܕܐܬܐ ܒܫܡܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ |
