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Matthew 23:6-39
New American Standard Bible
Matthew 23:6-39
New American Standard Bible
6 And they (A)love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues, 7 and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called [a](B)Rabbi by the people. 8 But as for you, (C)do not be called [b](D)Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only (E)One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called [c]leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11 (F)But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 12 (G)Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Eight Woes
13 “(H)But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, (I)because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.[d]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one [e](J)proselyte; and when he becomes one, you [f]make him twice as much a son of [g](K)hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, (L)blind guides, who say, ‘(M)Whoever swears by the [h]temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the [i]temple is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! (N)Which is [j]more important, the gold or the [k]temple that sanctified the gold? 18 And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the [l]offering that is on it is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, (O)which is [m]more important, the [n]offering or the altar that sanctifies the [o]offering? 20 Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by [p]the altar and by everything on it. 21 And the one who swears by the [q]temple, swears both by [r]the temple and by Him who (P)dwells in it. 22 And the one who swears by [s]heaven, (Q)swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23 “(R)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and [t]cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You (S)blind guides, who [u]strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (T)you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full [v]of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first (U)clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the [w]outside of it may also become clean.
27 “(V)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “(W)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves, that you (X)are [x]sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 [y]Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33 You snakes, (Y)you [z]offspring of vipers, how [aa]will you escape the [ab]sentence of [ac](Z)hell?
34 “(AA)Therefore, behold, (AB)I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will (AC)flog in your synagogues, and (AD)persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (AE)Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the (AF)son of Berechiah, whom (AG)you murdered between the [ad]temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon (AH)this generation.
Grieving over Jerusalem
37 “(AI)Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who (AJ)kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, (AK)the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, (AL)your house is being left to you desolate! 39 For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘(AM)Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 23:7 In Heb “My Teacher” or “My Master”
- Matthew 23:8 In Heb “My Teacher” or “My Master”
- Matthew 23:10 Or teachers
- Matthew 23:13 Late mss add (traditionally v 14): Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses even while for appearances’ sake you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation (as v 14); cf. Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47
- Matthew 23:15 Or convert
- Matthew 23:15 I.e., doom him to hell
- Matthew 23:15 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 23:16 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:16 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:17 Lit greater
- Matthew 23:17 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:18 Or gift
- Matthew 23:19 Lit greater
- Matthew 23:19 Or gift
- Matthew 23:19 Or gift
- Matthew 23:20 Lit it
- Matthew 23:21 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:21 Lit it
- Matthew 23:22 I.e., an indirect reference to God
- Matthew 23:23 Similar to caraway seeds
- Matthew 23:24 Or filter out
- Matthew 23:25 Or as a result of
- Matthew 23:26 If the inside was ritually unclean, the entire vessel was unclean whether the outside was cleaned or not (cf. Num 19:15)
- Matthew 23:31 Or descendants
- Matthew 23:32 I.e., finish what they started
- Matthew 23:33 Or brood
- Matthew 23:33 Lit are you to escape
- Matthew 23:33 Or judgment
- Matthew 23:33 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 23:35 Or sanctuary
Matthew 23:6-39
New International Version
Matthew 23:6-39
New International Version
6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(A) 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(B)
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father,(C) and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(D) 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.(E)
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!(F) You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.(G) [14] [a]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert,(H) and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell(I) as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides!(J) You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’(K) 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?(L) 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?(M) 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells(N) in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.(O)
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth(P) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.(Q) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides!(R) You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish,(S) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.(T) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,(U) which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets(V) and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.(W) 32 Go ahead, then, and complete(X) what your ancestors started!(Y)
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers!(Z) How will you escape being condemned to hell?(AA) 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;(AB) others you will flog in your synagogues(AC) and pursue from town to town.(AD) 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel(AE) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,(AF) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.(AG) 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.(AH)
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,(AI) how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,(AJ) and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.(AK) 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[b]”(AL)
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
- Matthew 23:39 Psalm 118:26
Matthew 23:6-39
King James Version
Matthew 23:6-39
King James Version
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
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Mark 12:38-44
New American Standard Bible
Mark 12:38-44
New American Standard Bible
38 (A)And in His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like (B)personal greetings in the marketplaces, 39 and seats of honor in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, 40 (C)who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive all the more condemnation.”
The Widow’s Coins
41 (D)And Jesus sat down opposite (E)the treasury, and began watching how the [a]people were (F)putting [b]money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two [c]lepta coins, which amount to a [d]quadrans. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all [e]the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their [f]surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, [g]all she had (G)to live on.”
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- Mark 12:41 Lit crowd was
- Mark 12:41 I.e., copper coins
- Mark 12:42 The smallest Greek copper coin, about 1/128 of a laborer’s daily wage
- Mark 12:42 A small Roman copper coin, worth about 1/64 of a laborer’s daily wage
- Mark 12:43 Lit those who were putting in
- Mark 12:44 Or abundance
- Mark 12:44 Lit her whole livelihood
Mark 12:38-44
New International Version
Mark 12:38-44
New International Version
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.(A) 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
The Widow’s Offering(B)
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put(C) and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”(D)
Mark 12:38-44
King James Version
Mark 12:38-44
King James Version
38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
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Luke 14:7
New American Standard Bible
Luke 14:7
New American Standard Bible
Parable of the Guests
7 Now He began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how (A)they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them,
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Luke 14:7
New International Version
Luke 14:7
New International Version
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table,(A) he told them this parable:
Luke 14:7
King James Version
Luke 14:7
King James Version
7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.
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Luke 20:46
New American Standard Bible
Luke 20:46
New American Standard Bible
46 “Beware of the scribes, (A)who like to walk around in long robes, and love personal greetings in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets,
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Luke 20:46
New International Version
Luke 20:46
New International Version
46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.(A)
Luke 20:46
King James Version
Luke 20:46
King James Version
46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;
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