Matthew 23:1–12

Jesus Warns against the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

23Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples. ²“The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses’ Law. ³So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don’t practice what they preach. ⁴They tie on to people’s backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren’t willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads. ^5*They do everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are! Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks!^{v 6}They love the best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the synagogues; ⁷they love to be greeted with respect in the market places and to be called ‘Teacher’. ⁸You must not be called ‘Teacher’, because you are all members of one family and have only one Teacher. ⁹And you must not call anyone here on earth ‘Father’, because you have only the one Father in heaven. ¹⁰Nor should you be called ‘Leader’, because your one and only leader is the Messiah. ^11*The greatest one among you must be your servant. ^12*Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great.