Matthew 23

1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,WEB — Matthew 23:1

2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses' seat.WEB — Matthew 23:2

3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don't do their works; for they say, and don't do.WEB — Matthew 23:3

4 For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.WEB — Matthew 23:4

5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,WEB — Matthew 23:5

6 and love the chief place at feasts, the chief seats in the synagogues,WEB — Matthew 23:6

7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.WEB — Matthew 23:7

8 But don't you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.WEB — Matthew 23:8

9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.WEB — Matthew 23:9

10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.WEB — Matthew 23:10

11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.WEB — Matthew 23:11

12 Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.WEB — Matthew 23:12

13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.WEB — Matthew 23:13

14 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don't enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.WEB — Matthew 23:14

15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves.WEB — Matthew 23:15

16 Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor.’WEB — Matthew 23:16

17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?WEB — Matthew 23:17

18 ‘Whoever will swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever will swear by the gift that is on it, he is a debtor.’WEB — Matthew 23:18

19 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?WEB — Matthew 23:19

20 He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.WEB — Matthew 23:20

21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who is living in it.WEB — Matthew 23:21

22 He who swears by the heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.WEB — Matthew 23:22

23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law - justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.WEB — Matthew 23:23

24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!WEB — Matthew 23:24

25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.WEB — Matthew 23:25

26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside of it may become clean also.WEB — Matthew 23:26

27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.WEB — Matthew 23:27

28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.WEB — Matthew 23:28

29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,WEB — Matthew 23:29

30 and say, ‘If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’WEB — Matthew 23:30

31 Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets.WEB — Matthew 23:31

32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.WEB — Matthew 23:32

33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?WEB — Matthew 23:33

34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them will you kill and crucify; and some of them will you scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;WEB — Matthew 23:34

35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.WEB — Matthew 23:35

36 Most assuredly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.WEB — Matthew 23:36

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!WEB — Matthew 23:37

38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate.WEB — Matthew 23:38

39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you will say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”WEB — Matthew 23:39