Mattheum 23
1 tunc Iesus locutus est ad turbas et discipulos suos
Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
2 dicens super cathedram Mosi sederunt scribae et Pharisaei
“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 omnia ergo quaecumque dixerint vobis servate et facite secundum opera vero eorum nolite facere dicunt enim et non faciunt
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 alligant autem onera gravia et inportabilia et inponunt in umeros hominum digito autem suo nolunt ea movere
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 omnia vero opera sua faciunt ut videantur ab hominibus dilatant enim phylacteria sua et magnificant fimbrias
[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 amant autem primos recubitus in cenis et primas cathedras in synagogis
[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 et salutationes in foro et vocari ab hominibus rabbi
Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
8 vos autem nolite vocari rabbi unus enim est magister vester omnes autem vos fratres estis
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 et patrem nolite vocare vobis super terram unus enim est Pater vester qui in caelis est
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 nec vocemini magistri quia magister vester unus est Christus
Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
11 qui maior est vestrum erit minister vester
In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
12 qui autem se exaltaverit humiliabitur et qui se humiliaverit exaltabitur
[God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
13 vae autem vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia clauditis regnum caelorum ante homines vos enim non intratis nec introeuntes sinitis intrare
[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 vae vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia circuitis mare et aridam ut faciatis unum proselytum et cum fuerit factus facitis eum filium gehennae duplo quam vos (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 vae vobis duces caeci qui dicitis quicumque iuraverit per templum nihil est qui autem iuraverit in aurum templi debet
“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 stulti et caeci quid enim maius est aurum an templum quod sanctificat aurum
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 et quicumque iuraverit in altari nihil est quicumque autem iuraverit in dono quod est super illud debet
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 caeci quid enim maius est donum an altare quod sanctificat donum
[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 qui ergo iurat in altare iurat in eo et in omnibus quae super illud sunt
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 et qui iuraverit in templo iurat in illo et in eo qui inhabitat in ipso
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 et qui iurat in caelo iurat in throno Dei et in eo qui sedet super eum
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 vae vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia decimatis mentam et anethum et cyminum et reliquistis quae graviora sunt legis iudicium et misericordiam et fidem haec oportuit facere et illa non omittere
“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 duces caeci excolantes culicem camelum autem gluttientes
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 vae vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia mundatis quod de foris est calicis et parapsidis intus autem pleni sunt rapina et inmunditia
“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 Pharisaee caece munda prius quod intus est calicis et parapsidis ut fiat et id quod de foris est mundum
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 vae vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis quae a foris parent hominibus speciosa intus vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum et omni spurcitia
“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 sic et vos a foris quidem paretis hominibus iusti intus autem pleni estis hypocrisi et iniquitate
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 vae vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia aedificatis sepulchra prophetarum et ornatis monumenta iustorum
“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 et dicitis si fuissemus in diebus patrum nostrorum non essemus socii eorum in sanguine prophetarum
You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
31 itaque testimonio estis vobismet ipsis quia filii estis eorum qui prophetas occiderunt
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 et vos implete mensuram patrum vestrorum
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 ideo ecce ego mitto ad vos prophetas et sapientes et scribas ex illis occidetis et crucifigetis et ex eis flagellabitis in synagogis vestris et persequemini de civitate in civitatem
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 ut veniat super vos omnis sanguis iustus qui effusus est super terram a sanguine Abel iusti usque ad sanguinem Zacchariae filii Barachiae quem occidistis inter templum et altare
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 amen dico vobis venient haec omnia super generationem istam
Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
37 Hierusalem Hierusalem quae occidis prophetas et lapidas eos qui ad te missi sunt quotiens volui congregare filios tuos quemadmodum gallina congregat pullos suos sub alas et noluisti
“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 ecce relinquitur vobis domus vestra deserta
So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
39 dico enim vobis non me videbitis amodo donec dicatis benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini
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].’”
