Matthew 23:3-39

3Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and 1comply with it all, but do not do 2as they do; for they say things and do not do them. 4And 3they 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 4to be noticed by other people; for they 5broaden their 6phylacteries and lengthen 7the tassels of their garments. 6And they 8love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues, 7and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called 910Rabbi by the people. 8But as for you, 11do not be called 1213Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only 14One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10And do not be called 15leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 1116But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 1217Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

13“18But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, 19because 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.20

15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one 2122proselyte; and when he becomes one, you 23make him twice as much a son of 2425hell as yourselves.

16“Woe to you, 26blind guides, who say, ‘27Whoever swears by the 28temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the 29temple is obligated.’ 17You fools and blind men! 30Which is 31more important, the gold or the 32temple that sanctified the gold? 18And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the 33offering that is on it is obligated.’ 19You blind men, 34which is 35more important, the 36offering or the altar that sanctifies the 37offering? 20Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by 38the altar and by everything on it. 21And the one who swears by the 39temple, swears both by 40the temple and by Him who 41dwells in it. 22And the one who swears by 42heaven, 43swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

23“44Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and 45cumin, 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 46blind guides, who 47strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For 48you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full 49of robbery and self-indulgence. 26You blind Pharisee, first 50clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the 51outside of it may also become clean.

27“52Woe 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“53Woe 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 54are 55sons of those who murdered the prophets. 3256Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33You snakes, 57you 58offspring of vipers, how 59will you escape the 60sentence of 6162hell?

34“63Therefore, behold, 64I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will 65flog in your synagogues, and 66persecute 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 67Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the 68son of Berechiah, whom 69you murdered between the 70temple and the altar. 36Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon 71this generation.

37“72Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who 73kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, 74the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38Behold, 75your house is being left to you desolate! 39For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘76Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’”