Matthew 23
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples.
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
He said, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Therefore whatever they command you to do, do these things and observe them. But do not imitate their deeds, for they say things but then do not do them.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Yes, they bind heavy burdens that are difficult to carry, and then they put them on people's shoulders. But they themselves will not move a finger to carry them.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
They do all their deeds to be seen by people. For they make their phylacteries wide, and they enlarge the edges of their garments.
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
They love the chief places at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
and special greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by people.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren.
But you must not be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all you are brothers.
9 And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
And call no man on earth your father, for you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ.
Neither must you be called 'teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven against people. For you do not enter it yourselves, and neither do you allow those about to enter to do so.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you go over sea and land to make one convert, and when he has become one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you. (Geenna g1067)
16 Woe unto you, [ye] blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Woe to you, you blind guides, you who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound to his oath.'
17 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
You blind fools! Which 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 sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing. But whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is bound to his oath.'
19 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
You blind people! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
The one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who lives in it.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, but you have left undone the weightier matters of the law—justice and mercy and faith. But these you ought to have done and not to have left the other undone.
24 [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
You blind guides, you who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
You blind Pharisee! Clean first the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside may become clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men’s] bones, and of all uncleanness.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
In the same way, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous.
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
You say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been participants with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Therefore you testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
You also fill up the measure of your fathers.
33 [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Geenna g1067)
You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city:
Therefore, see, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some you will whip in your synagogues and drive them out from city to city.
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
The result is that upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even 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! How often did I long to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
See, your house is left to you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
For I say to you, You will not see me from now on until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'”
