Matthew

The Gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 23, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 23 New English Translation

Seven Woes

   1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat. 3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them 'Rabbi.' 8 But you are not to be called 'Rabbi, ' for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 9 And call no one your 'father' on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher, ' for you have one teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
   13 "But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.
   15 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves!
   16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.' 17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And, 'Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.' 19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or 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 the one who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.
   23 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law - justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel!
   25 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too!
   27 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
   29 "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets 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 participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
   34 "For this reason I am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, this generation will be held responsible for all these things!

Judgment on Israel

   37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate! 39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

King James Version

   1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
   2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
   3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
   4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
   5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
   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.