³Therefore 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 ^r^sand lengthen their ^•tassels. ^t^u⁶They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the ^•synagogues, ^v⁷greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘^•Rabbi’ by people.

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Footnotes

l23:3 do according to their works
n23:4 Other omit that are hard to carry
o23:4 lift with their finger
q23:5 do all their works
r23:5 Small leather boxes containing OT texts, worn by Jews on their arms and foreheads
•Fringe put on the clothing of devout Jews to remind them to keep the law; Nm 15:37–41
t23:5 Other add on their robes
•This is a place where the Jewish people met for prayer, worship, and teaching of the Scriptures.
•The Hebrew word means my great one; it is used for a recognized teacher of the Scriptures.

Cross references

m23:3 Mt 5:20; 15:3–9; Rm 2:17–23
p23:4 Lk 11:46; Ac 15:10; Gl 6:13
s23:5 Ex 13:9; Dt 6:8; 11:18; Mt 6:1, 5, 16
u23:5 Mt 9:20; 14:36; Mk 6:56; Lk 8:44
v23:6 Lk 11:43; 14:7; 20:46

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

“Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

NLTNew Living Translation

So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but do not do as they do, for they tell others to do something and do not do it themselves. And they tie up heavy burdens and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move them. And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their tassels long. And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

KJV 1900King James Version

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Public Domain