Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus said to the crowd and to us his disciples,
Tunc Iesus locutus est ad turbas, et ad discipulos suos,
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].
dicens: Super cathedram Moysi sederunt Scribæ, et Pharisæi.
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].
Omnia ergo quæcumque dixerint vobis, servate, et facite: secundum opera vero eorum nolite facere: dicunt enim, et non faciunt.
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]
Alligant enim onera gravia, et importabilia, et imponunt in humeros hominum: digito autem suo nolunt ea movere.
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].
Omnia vero opera sua faciunt ut videantur ab hominibus: dilatant enim phylacteria sua, et magnificant fimbrias.
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.
Amant autem primos recubitus in cœnis, et primas cathedras in synagogis,
7 Also, [they want people to] greet them [respectfully] in the marketplaces and to honor them by calling them ‘Teacher’.
et salutationes in foro, et vocari ab hominibus 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].
Vos autem nolite vocari Rabbi. unus est enim Magister vester, omnes autem vos fratres estis.
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.
Et patrem nolite vocare vobis super terram: unus est enim Pater vester, qui in cælis est.
10 Do not [allow people to] call you ‘Instructors’, because I, the Messiah, am the one instructor who [teaches all of] you.
Nec vocemini magistri: quia Magister vester unus est, Christus.
11 In contrast, everyone among you who wants [God to consider them] to be important must serve others as servants do.
Qui maior est vestrum, erit minister vester.
12 [God] will humble those who exalt themselves. And [he] will exalt those who humble themselves.”
Qui autem se exaltaverit, humiliabitur: et qui se humiliaverit, exaltabitur.
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].”
Væ autem vobis Scribæ, et Pharisæi hypocritæ: quia clauditis regnum cælorum ante homines. vos enim non intratis, nec introeuntes sinitis intrare.
Væ vobis Scribæ, et Pharisæi hypocritæ: quia comeditis domos viduarum, orationes longas orantes: propter hoc amplius accipietis iudicium.
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)
Væ vobis Scribæ, et Pharisæi hypocritæ: quia circuitis mare, et aridam, ut faciatis unum proselytum: et cum fuerit factus, facitis eum filium gehennæ duplo quam vos. (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.’
Væ vobis duces cæci, qui dicitis: Quicumque iuraverit per templum, nihil est: qui autem iuraverit in auro templi, debet.
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.
Stulti et cæci: Quid enim maius est, aurum, an templum, quod sanctificat aurum?
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].’
Et quicumque iuraverit in altari, nihil est: quicumque autem iuraverit in dono, quod est super illud, debet.
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.
Cæci: quid enim maius est, donum, an altare, quod sanctificat donum?
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].
Qui ergo iurat in altari, iurat in eo, et in omnibus quæ super illud sunt.
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].
et quicumque iuraverit in templo, iurat in illo, et in eo, qui habitat in ipso:
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].”
et qui iurat in cælo, iurat in throno Dei, et in eo, qui sedet super eum.
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].
Væ vobis Scribæ, et Pharisæi hypocritæ: qui decimatis mentham, et anethum, et cyminum, et reliquistis quæ graviora sunt legis, iudicium, et misericordiam, et fidem. hæc oportuit facere, et illa non omittere.
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]!”
Duces cæci, excolantes culicem, camelum autem glutientes.
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].
Væ vobis Scribæ, et Pharisæi hypocritæ, quia mundatis quod deforis est calicis, et paropsidis: intus autem pleni estis rapina, et immunditia.
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].”
Pharisæe cæce, munda prius quod intus est calicis, et paropsidis, ut fiat id, quod deforis est, mundum.
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.
Væ vobis Scribæ, et Pharisæi hypocritæ: quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis, quæ aforis parent hominibus speciosa, intus vero pleni sunt ossibus mortuorum, et omni spurcitia.
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.”
sic et vos aforis quidem paretis hominibus iusti: intus autem pleni estis hypocrisi, et iniquitate.
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].
Væ vobis Scribæ, et Pharisæi hypocritæ, qui ædificatis sepulchra prophetarum, et ornatis monumenta iustorum,
30 You say, ‘If we had [lived] when our ancestors [MET] [lived], we would not have helped [MET] those who killed [MTY] the prophets.’
et dicitis: Si fuissemus in diebus patrum nostrorum, non essemus socii eorum in sanguine prophetarum.
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.
itaque testimonio estis vobismetipsis, quia filii estis eorum, qui prophetas occiderunt.
32 You are as ready to murder people as [MET] your ancestors were!
Et vos implete mensuram patrum vestrorum.
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)
Serpentes genimina viperarum, quomodo fugietis a iudicio gehennæ? (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.
Ideo ecce ego mitto ad vos prophetas, et sapientes, et scribas, et ex illis occidetis, et crucifigetis, et ex eis flagellabitis in synagogis vestris, et persequemini de civitate in civitatem:
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].
ut veniat super vos omnis sanguis iustus, qui effusus est super terram, a sanguine Abel iusti usque ad sanguinem Zachariæ, filii Barachiæ, quem occidistis inter templum et altare.
36 Think about this: You people who have observed my ministry, it is you whom [God] will punish [for killing all] those [prophets]!”
Amen dico vobis, venient hæc omnia super generationem istam.
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].
Ierusalem Ierusalem, quæ occidis prophetas, et lapidas eos, qui ad te missi sunt, quoties volui congregare filios tuos, quemadmodum gallina congregat pullos suos sub alas, et noluisti?
38 So listen to this: Your city [SYN] will [soon] become an uninhabited place.
Ecce relinquetur vobis domus vestra deserta.
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].’”
Dico enim vobis, non me videbitis amodo, donec dicatis: Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini.
