Matthew 23:1 Then Yeshua spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,
2 saying, “ThescribesandthePhariseessitonMoses’seat.3Allthingsthereforewhatevertheytellyoutoobserve,observeanddo,butdon’tdotheirworks;fortheysay,anddon’tdo.4Fortheybindheavyburdensthataregrievoustobeborne,andlaythemonmen’sshoulders;buttheythemselveswillnotliftafingertohelpthem.5Buttheydoalltheirworkstobeseenbymen.Theymaketheirphylacteries{or, tzitziot}oftheirgarments,6andlovetheplaceofhonoratfeasts,thebestseatsinthesynagogues,7thesalutationsinthemarketplaces,andtobecalled‘Rabbi,Rabbi’{NU omits the second “Rabbi”.}bymen.8Butyouarenottobecalled‘Rabbi’,foroneisyourRabbi,theMessiah,andallofyouarebrothers.9Callnomanontheearthyourfather,foroneisyourFather,hewhoisinheaven.10Neitherbecalledmasters,foroneisyourmaster,theMessiah.11Buthewhoisgreatestamongyouwillbeyourservant.12Whoeverexaltshimselfwillbehumbled,andwhoeverhumbleshimselfwillbeexalted.
Matthew 23:13“Woetoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites!Foryoudevourwidows’houses,andasapretenseyoumakelongprayers.Thereforeyouwillreceivegreatercondemnation.
Matthew 23:14“Butwoetoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites!BecauseyoushutuptheKingdomofHeavenagainstmen;foryoudon’tenterinyourselves,neitherdoyouallowthosewhoareenteringintoenter.{Some Greek texts reverse the order of verses 13 and 14, and some omit verse 13, numbering verse 14 as 13. NU omits verse 14.}15Woetoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites!Foryoutravelaroundbyseaandlandtomakeoneproselyte;andwhenhebecomesone,youmakehimtwiceasmuchasonofGehinnom{or, Hell}asyourselves.
Matthew 23:16“Woetoyou,youblindguides,whosay,‘Whoeverswearsbythetemple,itisnothing;butwhoeverswearsbythegoldofthetemple,heisobligated.’17Youblindfools!Forwhichisgreater,thegoldorthetemplethatsanctifiesthegold?18And,‘Whoeverswearsbythealtar,itisnothing;butwhoeverswearsbythegiftthatisonit,heisobligated.’19Youblindfools!Forwhichisgreater,thegift,orthealtarthatsanctifiesthegift?20Hethereforewhoswearsbythealtar,swearsbyitandbyeverythingonit.21Hewhoswearsbythetemple,swearsbyitandbyhimwhohasbeenliving{NU reads “lives”}init.22Hewhoswearsbyheaven,swearsbythethroneofGodandbyhimwhositsonit.
Matthew 23:23“Woetoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites!Foryoutithemint,dill,andcumin,{cumin is an aromatic seed from Cuminum cyminum, resembling caraway in flavor and appearance. It is used as a spice.}andhaveleftundonetheweightiermattersoftheTorah:justice,mercy,andfaith.Butyououghttohavedonethese,andnottohavelefttheotherundone.24Youblindguides,whostrainoutagnat,andswallowacamel!
Matthew 23:25“Woetoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites!Foryoucleantheoutsideofthecupandoftheplatter,butwithintheyarefullofextortionandunrighteousness.{TR reads “self-indulgence” instead of “unrighteousness”}26YoublindPharisee,firstcleantheinsideofthecupandoftheplatter,thatitsoutsidemaybecomecleanalso.
Matthew 23:27“Woetoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites!Foryouarelikewhitenedtombs,whichoutwardlyappearbeautiful,butinwardlyarefullofdeadmen’sbonesandofalluncleanness.28Evensoyoualsooutwardlyappearrighteoustomen,butinwardlyyouarefullofhypocrisyandiniquity.
Matthew 23:29“Woetoyou,scribesandPharisees,hypocrites!Foryoubuildthetombsoftheprophetsanddecoratethetombsoftherighteous,30andsay,‘Ifwehadlivedinthedaysofourfathers,wewouldn’thavebeenpartakerswiththeminthebloodoftheprophets.’31Thereforeyoutestifytoyourselvesthatyouarechildrenofthosewhokilledtheprophets.32Fillup,then,themeasureofyourfathers.33Youserpents,youoffspringofvipers,howwillyouescapethejudgmentofGehinnom?{or, Hell}34Therefore,behold,Isendtoyouprophets,wisemen,andscribes.Someofthemyouwillkillandcrucify;andsomeofthemyouwillscourgeinyoursynagoguesandpersecutefromcitytocity,35thatonyoumaycomealltherighteousbloodshedontheearth,fromthebloodofrighteousAbeltothebloodofZechariahsonofBerechiah,whomyoukilledbetweenthesanctuaryandthealtar.36MostcertainlyItellyou,allthesethingswillcomeuponthisgeneration.
Matthew 23:37“Jerusalem,Jerusalem,whokillstheprophetsandstonesthosewhoaresenttoher!HowoftenIwouldhavegatheredyourchildrentogether,evenasahengathersherchicksunderherwings,andyouwouldnot!38Behold,yourhouseislefttoyoudesolate.39ForItellyou,youwillnotseemefromnowon,untilyousay,‘BlessedishewhocomesinthenameoftheLord!’ ”{Psalms 118:26}