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so practise and observe whatever they tell you—(A)but not what they do. (B)For they preach, but do not practise. (C)They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,[a] and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. (D)They do all their deeds (E)to be seen by others. For they make (F)their phylacteries broad and (G)their fringes long, and they (H)love the place of honour at feasts and (I)the best seats in the synagogues and (J)greetings in (K)the market-places and being called (L)rabbi[b] by others. (M)But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are (N)all brothers.[c] (O)And call no man your father on earth, for (P)you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, (Q)the Christ. 11 (R)The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 (S)Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 “But woe (T)to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you (U)shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you (V)neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.[d] 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single (W)proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a (X)child of (Y)hell[e] as yourselves.

16 “Woe to (Z)you, (AA)blind guides, who say, (AB)‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or (AC)the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by (AD)the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or (AE)the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by (AF)him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by (AG)heaven swears by (AH)the throne of God and by (AI)him who sits upon it.

23 (AJ)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (AK)you tithe mint and dill and (AL)cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: (AM)justice and mercy and faithfulness. (AN)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing (AO)a camel!

25 (AP)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (AQ)you clean the outside of (AR)the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of (AS)greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of (AT)the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

27 (AU)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like (AV)whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and (AW)all uncleanness. 28 So you also (AX)outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of (AY)hypocrisy and lawlessness.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:4 Some manuscripts omit hard to bear
  2. Matthew 23:7 Rabbi means my teacher, or my master; also verse 8
  3. Matthew 23:8 Or brothers and sisters
  4. Matthew 23:13 Some manuscripts add here (or after verse 12) verse 14: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretence you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation
  5. Matthew 23:15 Greek Gehenna; also verse 33

16 But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 (A)For you hate discipline,
    (B)and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, (C)you are pleased with him,
    (D)and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    (E)and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I (F)have been silent;
    you thought that I[a] was one like yourself.
But now I (G)rebuke you and (H)lay the charge before you.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 50:21 Or that the I am

Traditions and Commandments

15 (A)Then Pharisees and (B)scribes came to Jesus (C)from Jerusalem and said, (D)“Why do your disciples break (E)the tradition of the elders? (F)For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, (G)‘Honour your father and your mother,’ and, (H)‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”[a] he need not honour his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have (I)made void the word[b] of God. (J)You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

(K)“‘This people honours me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as (L)doctrines the commandments of men.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:5 Or is an offering
  2. Matthew 15:6 Some manuscripts law