Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus addressed the crowds and His disciples.
Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
2 "The Scribes," He said, "and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses.
“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].
3 Therefore do and observe everything that they command you; but do not imitate their lives, for though they tell others what to do, they do not do it themselves.
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].
4 Heavy and cumbrous burdens they bind together and load men's shoulders with them, while as for themselves, not with one finger do they choose to lift them.
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]
5 And everything they do they do with a view to being observed by men; for they widen their phylacteries and make the tassels large,
[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].
6 and love the best seats at a dinner party or in the synagogues,
[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.
7 and like to be bowed to in places of public resort, and to be addressed by men as 'Rabbi.'
Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
8 "As for you, do not accept the title of 'Rabbi,' for one alone is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.
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].
9 And call no one on earth your Father, for One alone is your Father--the Heavenly Father.
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.
10 And do not accept the name of 'leader,' for your Leader is one alone--the Christ.
Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
11 He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant;
In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
12 and one who exalts himself shall be abased, while one who abases himself shall be exalted.
[God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
13 "But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you lock the door of the Kingdom of the Heavens against men; you yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those to enter who are seeking to do so.
[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].”
15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you scour sea and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
“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)
16 "Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, "'Whoever swears by the Sanctuary it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, is bound by the oath.'
“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.’
17 "Blind fools! Why, which is greater? --the gold, or the Sanctuary which has made the gold holy?
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.
18 And you say, "'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the offering lying on it is bound by the oath.'
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].’
19 "You are blind! Why, which is greater? --the offering, or the altar which makes the offering holy?
[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.
20 He who swears by the altar swears both by it and by everything on it;
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].
21 he who swears by the Sanctuary swears both by it and by Him who dwells in it;
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].
22 and he who swears by Heaven swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
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].”
23 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay the tithe on mint, dill, and cumin, while you have neglected the weightier requirements of the Law--just judgement, mercy, and faithful dealing. These things you ought to have done, and yet you ought not to have left the others undone.
“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].
24 You blind guides, straining out the gnat while you gulp down the camel!
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]!”
25 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you wash clean the outside of the cup or dish, while within they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
“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].
26 Blind Pharisee, first wash clean the inside of the cup or dish, and then the outside will be clean also.
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].”
27 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are just like whitewashed sepulchres, the outside of which pleases the eye, though inside they are full of dead men's bones and of all that is unclean.
“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.
28 The same is true of you: outwardly you seem to the human eye to be good and honest men, but, within, you are full of insincerity and disregard of God's Law.
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.”
29 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you repair the sepulchres of the Prophets and keep in order the tombs of the righteous,
“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].
30 and your boast is, "'If we had lived in the time of our forefathers, we should not have been implicated with them in the murder of the Prophets.'
You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
31 "So that you bear witness against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the Prophets.
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.
32 Fill up the measure of your forefathers' guilt.
You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
[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)
34 "For this reason I am sending to you Prophets and wise men and Scribes. Some of them you will put to death--nay, crucify; some of them you will flog in your synagogues and chase from town to town;
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.
35 that all the innocent blood shed upon earth may come on you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar.
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].
36 I tell you in solemn truth that all these things will come upon the present generation.
Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou who murderest the Prophets and stonest those who have been sent to thee! how often have I desired to gather thy children to me, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not come!
“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].
38 See, your house will now be left to you desolate!
So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
39 For I tell you that you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
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].’”
