Matthew 23

Hypocrisy Exposed

11Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2saying: “2The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. 3Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and 3comply with it all, but do not do 4as they do; for they say things and do not do them. 4And 5they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger. 5And they do all their deeds 6to be noticed by other people; for they 7broaden their 8phylacteries and lengthen 9the tassels of their garments. 6And they 10love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues, 7and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called 1112Rabbi by the people. 8But as for you, 13do not be called 1415Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only 16One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10And do not be called 17leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 1118But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 1219Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Eight Woes

13“20But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, 21because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.22

15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one 2324proselyte; and when he becomes one, you 25make him twice as much a son of 2627hell as yourselves.

16“Woe to you, 28blind guides, who say, ‘29Whoever swears by the 30temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the 31temple is obligated.’ 17You fools and blind men! 32Which is 33more important, the gold or the 34temple that sanctified the gold? 18And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the 35offering that is on it is obligated.’ 19You blind men, 36which is 37more important, the 38offering or the altar that sanctifies the 39offering? 20Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by 40the altar and by everything on it. 21And the one who swears by the 41temple, swears both by 42the temple and by Him who 43dwells in it. 22And the one who swears by 44heaven, 45swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

23“46Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and 47cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24You 48blind guides, who 49strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For 50you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full 51of robbery and self-indulgence. 26You blind Pharisee, first 52clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the 53outside of it may also become clean.

27“54Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29“55Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves, that you 56are 57sons of those who murdered the prophets. 3258Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33You snakes, 59you 60offspring of vipers, how 61will you escape the 62sentence of 6364hell?

34“65Therefore, behold, 66I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will 67flog in your synagogues, and 68persecute from city to city, 35so that upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous 69Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the 70son of Berechiah, whom 71you murdered between the 72temple and the altar. 36Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon 73this generation.

Grieving over Jerusalem

37“74Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who 75kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, 76the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38Behold, 77your house is being left to you desolate! 39For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘78Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’”