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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. 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. But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries[a] broad and enlarge the fringes[b] of their garments,

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Footnotes

  1. 23:5 phylacteries (tefillin in Hebrew) are small leather pouches that some Jewish men wear on their forehead and arm in prayer. They are used to carry a small scroll with some Scripture in it. See Deuteronomy 6:8.
  2. 23:5 or, tassels

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.(A)

“Everything they do is done for people to see:(B) They make their phylacteries[a](C) wide and the tassels on their garments(D) long;

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm