Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
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].
saying, The scribes and the Pharisees have set themselves down in Moses' seat:
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].
all things therefore, whatever they may tell you, do and keep. But do not after their works, for they say and do not,
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]
but bind burdens heavy and hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of men, but will not move them with their finger.
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].
And all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders [of their garments],
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.
and love the chief place in feasts and the first seats in the synagogues,
7 Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
and salutations in the market-places, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
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].
But ye, be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your instructor, and all ye are brethren.
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.
And call not [any one] your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, he who is in the heavens.
10 Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
Neither be called instructors, for one is your instructor, the Christ.
11 In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
12 [God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.
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].”
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for ye do not enter, nor do ye suffer those that are entering to go in.
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)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye compass the sea and the dry [land] to make one proselyte, and when he is become [such], ye make him twofold more [the] son of hell than yourselves. (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.’
Woe to you, blind guides, who say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.
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.
Fools and blind, for which is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?
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].’
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it is a debtor.
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.
[Fools and] blind ones, for which is greater, the gift, or the altar which sanctifies the gift?
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].
He therefore that swears by the altar swears by it and by all things that are upon it.
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].
And he that swears by the temple swears by it and by him that dwells in it.
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].”
And he that swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him that sits upon it.
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].
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and ye have left aside the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy and faith: these ye ought to have done and not have left those aside.
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]!”
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat, but drink down the camel.
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].
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within they are full of rapine and intemperance.
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].”
Blind Pharisee, make clean first the inside of the cup and of the dish, that their outside also may become clean.
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.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
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.”
Thus also ye, outwardly ye appear righteous to men, but within are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
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].
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets and adorn the tombs of the just,
30 You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
and ye 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.
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.
So that ye bear witness of yourselves that ye are sons of those who slew the prophets:
32 You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
and ye, fill ye up the measure of your fathers.
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)
Serpents, offspring of vipers, how should ye escape the judgment of hell? (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.
Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and [some] of them ye will kill and crucify, and [some] of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute from city to city;
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].
so that all righteous blood shed upon the earth should come upon you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
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].
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [the city] that kills the prophets and stones those that are sent unto her, how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate;
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].’”
for I say unto you, Ye shall in no wise see me henceforth until ye say, Blessed [be] he that comes in the name of [the] Lord.
