Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat.
3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do.
Therefore observe and do all that they tell you to observe. But do not do what they do, for they say things and do not do them.
4 For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.
They bind burdens that are heavy and hard to bear and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments,
They do all their works to be seen by others. They make their phylacteries wide and the fringes of their garments long.
6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
They love the place of honor at banquets, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.
greetings in the marketplaces, and when others call them ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.
But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for there is one who is your instructor, the Christ, and you are all brothers.
9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.
And do not call anyone on earth your father, for there is one who is your Father, he who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.
Neither are you to be called instructors, for there is one who is your instructor, the Christ.
11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
But he who is greater among you must be your servant.
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive a more severe judgment.
14 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you let in those who are trying to enter.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and when he has become one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (Geenna g1067)
16 “Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’
You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’
19 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
You fools and blind men! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it.
Therefore, whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living in it.
And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.
22 He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.
And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others.
24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!
You blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of plunder and unrighteousness.
26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.
Yoʋ blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside of them will also be clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and all uncleanness.
28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
In the same way, you also appear righteous to others on the outside, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the graves of the righteous,
30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’
and you say, ‘If we had been alive in the days of our fathers, we would not have been participants with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
31 Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
Therefore you bear witness against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna? (Geenna g1067)
You serpents, you brood of vipers! How will you escape being sentenced to hell? (Geenna g1067)
34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.
35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.
As a result, all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth will come upon you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
36 Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to yoʋ! How often I have wanted to gather yoʋr children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
For I tell you, from now on you will certainly not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
