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23 Then tote · ho Jesus Iēsous spoke laleō to the ho crowds ochlos and kai to ho his autos disciples mathētēs, saying legō, “ The ho scribes grammateus and kai the ho Pharisees Pharisaios now sit kathizō on epi the ho chair kathedra of Moses Mōysēs. Therefore oun put into practice poieō and kai continue to do tēreō whatever hosos ean they tell legō you hymeis; but de do poieō not imitate poieō what kata they autos · ho do ergon, for gar they teach legō but kai do not ou practice poieō. For de they tie desmeuō up heavy barys burdens phortion, · kai hard to bear dysbastaktos, and kai lay epitithēmi them on epi · ho people’ s anthrōpos shoulders ōmos, · ho but de they thelō themselves autos are thelō not ou willing thelō to move kineō them autos with ho their autos finger daktylos. They do poieō all pas · de · ho their autos deeds ergon to pros · ho be seen theaomai by ho others anthrōpos: they make platynō · ho their autos phylacteries phylaktērion broad and kai their ho tassels kraspedon long megalynō, they love phileō · de the ho place prōtoklisia of honor at en · ho banquets deipnon and kai the ho most important seats prōtokathedria in en the ho synagogues synagōgē, and kai · ho greetings aspasmos in en the ho marketplaces agora, and kai to be called kaleō Rabbi rhabbi by hypo · ho others anthrōpos. But de you hymeis are not to be called kaleō Rabbi rhabbi,’ for gar you hymeis have eimi but one heis · ho teacher didaskalos, and de you hymeis are eimi all pas brothers adelphos. And kai do not call kaleō anyone on epi earth your hymeis father patēr,’ · ho for gar you hymeis have eimi but one heis · ho Father patēr, and he ho is in heaven ouranios. 10 Nor mēde should you be called kaleō instructors kathēgētēs,’ because hoti Christ Christos is eimi your hymeis only heis instructor kathēgētēs. · ho 11 The ho · de greatest megas among you hymeis will be eimi your hymeis servant diakonos. 12 And de whoever hostis will exalt hypsoō himself heautou will be humbled tapeinoō, and kai whoever hostis will humble tapeinoō himself heautou will be exalted hypsoō.

13  But de woe ouai to you hymeis, scribes grammateus and kai Pharisees Pharisaios, hypocrites hypokritēs, because hoti you shut kleiō the ho kingdom basileia of ho heaven ouranos in men’ s anthrōpos faces emprosthen. · ho For gar you hymeis neither ou enter eiserchomai yourselves nor oude allow aphiēmi those ho who would enter eiserchomai to go eiserchomai in .

15  Woe ouai to you hymeis, scribes grammateus and kai Pharisees Pharisaios, hypocrites hypokritēs, because hoti you travel periagō over · ho sea thalassa and kai · ho land xēros to gain poieō a single heis convert prosēlytos; and kai when hotan he becomes ginomai one, you make poieō him autos twice as much diplous a son hyios of hell geenna as diplous yourselves hymeis.

16  Woe ouai to you hymeis, blind typhlos guides hodēgos who ho say legō, ‘ If someone hos an swears omnyō by en the ho temple naos it means eimi nothing oudeis; but de if someone hos swears omnyō by en the ho gold chrysos of the ho temple naos, he is bound opheilō by his oath.’ 17 You fools mōros and kai blind typhlos men ! For gar which tis is eimi greater megas, the ho gold chrysos or ē the ho temple naos that ho makes the ho gold chrysos sacred hagiazō? 18 And kai you say, ‘ If someone hos an swears omnyō by en the ho altar thusiastērion it means eimi nothing oudeis; but de if someone hos swears omnyō by en the ho gift dōron that ho is on epanō it autos, he is bound opheilō by his oath.’ 19 How blind typhlos you are! For gar which tis is greater megas, the ho gift dōron or ē the ho altar thusiastērion that ho makes the ho gift dōron sacred hagiazō? 20 So oun the ho one who swears omnyō by en the ho altar thusiastērion, swears omnyō not only by en it autos but kai by en everything pas · ho on epanō it autos. 21 And kai the ho one who swears omnyō by en the ho temple naos, swears omnyō not only by en it autos but kai by en the ho one who dwells katoikeō there autos. 22 And kai the ho one who swears omnyō by en · ho heaven ouranos, swears omnyō not only by en the ho throne thronos of ho God theos but kai by en the ho one who sits kathēmai on epanō it autos.

23  Woe ouai to you hymeis, scribes grammateus and kai Pharisees Pharisaios, hypocrites hypokritēs, because hoti you tithe apodekatoō · ho mint hēdyosmon and kai · ho dill anēthon and kai · ho cumin kyminon, and kai have neglected aphiēmi the ho weightier barys matters of the ho law nomos: · ho justice krisis and kai · ho mercy eleos and kai · ho faithfulness pistis. These houtos · de you ought dei to have done poieō without neglecting aphiēmi the former kakeinos. 24 You blind typhlos guides hodēgos! · ho You strain diylizō out the ho gnat kōnōps but de gulp down katapinō the ho camel kamēlos!

25  Woe ouai to you hymeis, scribes grammateus and kai Pharisees Pharisaios, hypocrites hypokritēs, because hoti you clean katharizō off the ho outside exōthen of the ho cup potērion and kai the ho plate paropsis while de inside esōthen they are full gemō of ek greed harpagē and kai self-indulgence akrasia. 26 You blind typhlos Pharisee Pharisaios! First prōton clean katharizō the ho inside entos of the ho cup potērion, so hina that its autos outside ektos may become ginomai clean katharos too kai. · ho

27  Woe ouai to you hymeis, scribes grammateus and kai Pharisees Pharisaios, hypocrites hypokritēs, because hoti you are like paromoiazō whitewashed koniaō tombs taphos that hostis look phainō beautiful hōraios on the outside exōthen but de on the inside esōthen are full gemō of dead men’ s nekros bones osteon and kai all pas kinds of filth akatharsia. 28 So houtōs you hymeis also kai outwardly exōthen appear phainō to ho others anthrōpos as righteous dikaios but de within esōthen you are eimi full mestos of hypocrisy hypokrisis and kai lawlessness anomia.

29  Woe ouai to you hymeis, scribes grammateus and kai Pharisees Pharisaios, hypocrites hypokritēs, because hoti you build oikodomeō the ho tombs taphos of the ho prophets prophētēs and kai decorate kosmeō the ho graves mnēmeion of the ho righteous dikaios, 30 and kai you say legō, ‘ If ei we had lived eimi in en the ho days hēmera of ho our hēmeis fathers patēr, we would an not ou have eimi taken part with koinōnos them autos in en shedding the ho blood haima of the ho prophets prophētēs.’ 31 By hōste saying this you testify martyreō against yourselves heautou that hoti you are eimi descendants hyios of those ho who murdered phoneuō the ho prophets prophētēs. 32 Fill plēroō up then kai the ho measure metron of ho your hymeis fathers’ patēr guilt. 33 You snakes ophis! You brood gennēma of vipers echidna! How pōs will you escape pheugō from apo · ho being condemned krisis to · ho hell geenna? 34 Therefore dia houtos I egō am sending apostellō you hymeis prophets prophētēs and kai wise sophos men and kai scribes grammateus, some of ek whom autos you will kill apokteinō and kai crucify stauroō, and kai some ek of whom autos you will flog mastigoō in en · ho your hymeis synagogues synagōgē and kai pursue diōkō from apo town polis to eis town polis, 35 so hopōs that upon epi you hymeis will come erchomai all pas the righteous dikaios blood haima shed ekchunnomai on epi · ho earth , from apo the ho blood haima of righteous dikaios Abel Habel · ho to heōs the ho blood haima of Zechariah Zacharias son hyios of Barachiah Barachias, whom hos you murdered phoneuō between metaxy the ho sanctuary naos and kai the ho altar thusiastērion. 36 I tell legō you hymeis the truth amēn, all pas these things houtos will come hēkō upon epi · ho this houtos generation genea.

37  Jerusalem Ierousalēm, O Jerusalem Ierousalēm, you who ho kill apokteinō the ho prophets prophētēs and kai stone lithoboleō those ho who are sent apostellō to pros you autos! How posakis often have I wanted thelō to gather episynagō · ho your sy children teknon together as hos tropos a hen ornis gathers episynagō · ho her autos chicks nossion under hypo her ho wings pteryx, but kai you were not ou willing thelō! 38 Look idou, your hymeis house oikos is left aphiēmi to you hymeis · ho desolate erēmos! 39 For gar I say legō to you hymeis, you will not ou mē see me egō from apo now arti until heōs an you say legō, ‘ Blessed eulogeō is he ho who comes erchomai in en the name onoma of the Lord kyrios.’”

A Warning Against Hypocrisy(A)(B)

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law(C) and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 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.(D)

“Everything they do is done for people to see:(E) They make their phylacteries[a](F) wide and the tassels on their garments(G) long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(H) they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(I)

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father,(J) 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.(K) 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.(L)

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!(M) 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.(N) [14] [b]

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert,(O) and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell(P) as you are.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides!(Q) 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.’(R) 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?(S) 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?(T) 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(U) in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.(V)

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth(W) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.(X) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides!(Y) 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,(Z) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.(AA) 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,(AB) 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(AC) 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.(AD) 32 Go ahead, then, and complete(AE) what your ancestors started!(AF)

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers!(AG) How will you escape being condemned to hell?(AH) 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;(AI) others you will flog in your synagogues(AJ) and pursue from town to town.(AK) 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel(AL) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,(AM) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.(AN) 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.(AO)

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,(AP) how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,(AQ) and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.(AR) 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.’[c](AS)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm
  2. Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
  3. Matthew 23:39 Psalm 118:26