23Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples. ²“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat,” he said. ³“So you must obey them. Do everything they tell you. But don’t do what they do. They don’t practice what they preach. ⁴They tie up heavy loads and put them on other people’s shoulders. But they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them.

⁵“Everything they do is done for others to see. On their foreheads and arms they wear little boxes that hold Scripture verses. They make the boxes very wide. And they make the tassels on their coats very long.

⁶“They love to sit down in the place of honor at dinners. They also love to have the most important seats in the synagogues. ⁷They love to be greeted in the market places. They love it when people call them ‘Rabbi.’

⁸“But you shouldn’t be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have only one Master, and you are all brothers. ⁹Do not call anyone on earth ‘father.’ You have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰You shouldn’t be called ‘teacher.’ You have one Teacher, and he is the Christ. ¹¹The most important person among you will be your servant. ¹²Anyone who lifts himself up will be brought down. And anyone who is brought down will be lifted up.

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