23Matthew 23

Jesus Warns against the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples.Select Matthew 23:1

2“The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses' Law.Select Matthew 23:2

3So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don't practice what they preach.Select Matthew 23:3

4They tie onto people's backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren't willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads.Select Matthew 23:4

5They do everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are! Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks!Select Matthew 23:5

6They love the best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the synagogues;Select Matthew 23:6

7they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them ‘Teacher.’Select Matthew 23:7

8You must not be called ‘Teacher,’ because you are all equal and have only one Teacher.Select Matthew 23:8

9And you must not call anyone here on earth ‘Father,’ because you have only the one Father in heaven.Select Matthew 23:9

10Nor should you be called ‘Leader,’ because your one and only leader is the Messiah.Select Matthew 23:10

11The greatest one among you must be your servant.Select Matthew 23:11

12Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great.Select Matthew 23:12

Jesus Condemns Their Hypocrisy

13“How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You lock the door to the Kingdom of heaven in people's faces, but you yourselves don't go in, nor do you allow in those who are trying to enter!Select Matthew 23:13

15“How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You sail the seas and cross whole countries to win one convert; and when you succeed, you make him twice as deserving of going to hell as you yourselves are!Select Matthew 23:15

16“How terrible for you, blind guides! You teach, ‘If someone swears by the Temple, he isn't bound by his vow; but if he swears by the gold in the Temple, he is bound.’Select Matthew 23:16

17Blind fools! Which is more important, the gold or the Temple which makes the gold holy?Select Matthew 23:17

18You also teach, ‘If someone swears by the altar, he isn't bound by his vow; but if he swears by the gift on the altar, he is bound.’Select Matthew 23:18

19How blind you are! Which is the more important, the gift or the altar which makes the gift holy?Select Matthew 23:19

20So then, when a person swears by the altar, he is swearing by it and by all the gifts on it;Select Matthew 23:20

21and when he swears by the Temple, he is swearing by it and by God, who lives there;Select Matthew 23:21

22and when someone swears by heaven, he is swearing by God's throne and by him who sits on it.Select Matthew 23:22

23“How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give to God one tenth even of the seasoning herbs, such as mint, dill, and cumin, but you neglect to obey the really important teachings of the Law, such as justice and mercy and honesty. These you should practice, without neglecting the others.Select Matthew 23:23

24Blind guides! You strain a fly out of your drink, but swallow a camel!Select Matthew 23:24

25“How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You clean the outside of your cup and plate, while the inside is full of what you have gotten by violence and selfishness.Select Matthew 23:25

26Blind Pharisee! Clean what is inside the cup first, and then the outside will be clean too!Select Matthew 23:26

27“How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside.Select Matthew 23:27

28In the same way, on the outside you appear good to everybody, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sins.Select Matthew 23:28

Jesus Predicts Their Punishment

29“How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You make fine tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of those who lived good lives;Select Matthew 23:29

30and you claim that if you had lived during the time of your ancestors, you would not have done what they did and killed the prophets.Select Matthew 23:30

31So you actually admit that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets!Select Matthew 23:31

32Go on, then, and finish up what your ancestors started!Select Matthew 23:32

33You snakes and children of snakes! How do you expect to escape from being condemned to hell?Select Matthew 23:33

34And so I tell you that I will send you prophets and wise men and teachers; you will kill some of them, crucify others, and whip others in the synagogues and chase them from town to town.Select Matthew 23:34

35As a result, the punishment for the murder of all innocent people will fall on you, from the murder of innocent Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar.Select Matthew 23:35

36I tell you indeed: the punishment for all these murders will fall on the people of this day!Select Matthew 23:36

Jesus' Love for Jerusalem

37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone the messengers God has sent you! How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!Select Matthew 23:37

38And so your Temple will be abandoned and empty.Select Matthew 23:38

39From now on, I tell you, you will never see me again until you say, ‘God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord.’”Select Matthew 23:39