Matthew 23

Religious Hypocrites Denounced

23Then ^hJesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: ⁱ²“The ^•scribes and the ^•Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. ^jk3Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, ^lbecause they don’t practice what they teach. ^m4They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry ⁿand put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger ^oto move them. ^p5They do everything ^qto be observed by others: They enlarge their phylacteries ^rsand lengthen their ^•tassels. ^tu6They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the ^•synagogues, ^v7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘^•Rabbi’ by people.

⁸“But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, ^wand you are all ^•brothers. ^x9Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. ^y10And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master, ^zthe ^•Messiah. ¹¹The greatest among you will be your servant. ^a12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. ^b

¹³“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in. ^c

[¹⁴“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show. ^dThis is why you will receive a harsher punishment.] ^e

¹⁵“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one ^•proselyte, ^fand when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for ^•hell ^gas you are!

¹⁶“Woe to you, blind guides, ^hwho say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath ⁱby the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.’ ^j17Blind fools! ^kFor which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’ ^l19Blind people! ^mFor which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ⁿ²⁰Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. ²¹The one who takes an oath by the sanctuary takes an oath by it and by Him who dwells ^oin it. ²²And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne ^pand by Him who sits on it. ^q

²³“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of ^rmint, dill, and cumin, ^syet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, ^tmercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. ²⁴Blind guides! ^uYou strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!

²⁵“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You ^•clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed ^vand self-indulgence! ^w26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, ^xso the outside of it ^ymay also become clean.

²⁷“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, ^zwhich appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. ²⁸In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ ^a31You, therefore, testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³²Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins! ^bc

³³“Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? ^de34This is why I am sending you prophets, ^fsages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues ^gand hound from town to town. ³⁵So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, ^hfrom the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, ⁱson of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ^j36•I assure you: All these things will come on this generation! ^k

Jesus’ Lamentation over Jerusalem

³⁷“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! ^lShe who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks ^munder her wings, yet you were not willing! ⁿ³⁸See, your house is left to you desolate. ^o39For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One’!” ^pq