Matthew Chapter 23
Denunciation of the Pharisees
1 Jesus told the crowd and his disciples,
2 “The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. 3 So do whatever they tell you, but don’t be like them; they say and don’t do. 4 They strap heavy, awkward burdens on people’s shoulders, but they aren’t willing to move them with one of their fingers. 5 They do everything for show—like making wide phylacteries and long tassels. 6 They like places of honor at banquets, prominent seats in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and people calling them Rabbi. 8 Don’t you be called Rabbi. You have one Rabbi; you’re all brothers. 9 Don’t call anybody on earth your father. You have one Father, the One in heaven. 10 Don’t be called leaders. You have one Leader, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your minister. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Mt 23:1-12
13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven in front of people. You don’t go in yourselves or let them go in that are trying to. [ 14 ]ms
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel all over land and sea to make one proselyte. Then you make him more destined for hell than you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides that say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary hasn’t taken a binding oath, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary has taken a binding oath.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more imporant, the gold or the sanctuary that makes it holy?
18 “You also say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar hasn’t taken a binding oath, but whoever swears by the gift on the altar has taken a binding oath.’ 19 You blind people! Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes it holy? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it. 21 Whoever swears by the sanctuary swears by it and the One that lives there. 22 Whoever swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and the One that sits on it.
Mt 23:13-22
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin; and neglect the more important things in the Law: justice, mercy, faith. You should’ve done these and not neglected those. 24 Blind guides that strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and plate, but inside they’re full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of the cup first so the outside of it becomes clean too.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You’re like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside, but inside they’re filled with filth and dead men’s bones. 28 You look good on the outside, but inside you’re filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Mt 23:23-28
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous 30 and say, ‘If we’d lived when our ancestors did, we wouldn’t have joined them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 31 You speak against yourselves because you’re just like the ones that murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead and be as bad as your ancestors. 33 You snakes! You nest of vipers! How will you escape condemnation in hell? 34 For this reason I’ll send you prophets, wise men, and scribes. You’ll kill and crucify some of them; some you’ll flog in your synagogues and persecute from city to city. 35 So on you will come all the righteous blood shed from Abel to Zechariah son of Berechiah, the one you murdered between the altar and the sanctuary. 36 I’m telling you, it’ll all come down on this generation!
37 “Jerusalem! Jerusalem! that murders prophets and stones my messengers! How many times I’ve wanted to gather your people the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you didn’t want to! 38 I leave your house to you deserted. 39 You won’t see me again till you say, ‘Blessed is the One that’s coming in the name of the LORD’” [Ps 118:26].
Mt 23:29-39