Matthew 23:13–22

Eight Woes

13 “aBut woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, bbecause you shut off the kingdom of heaven 1from 2people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

14 [“1Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ayou devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one 1aproselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of 2bhell as yourselves.

16 “Woe to you, ablind guides, who say, ‘bWhoever swears by the 1temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the 1temple is obligated.’

17 “You fools and blind men! aWhich is 1more important, the gold or the 2temple that sanctified the gold?

18 “And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the 1offering on it, he is obligated.’

19 “You blind men, awhich is 1more important, the 2offering, or the altar that sanctifies the 2offering?

20 “Therefore, 1whoever swears by the altar, swears both by 2the altar and by everything on it.

21 “And 1whoever swears by the 2temple, swears both by 3the temple and by Him who adwells within it.

22 “And 1whoever swears by heaven, aswears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.