Matthew 23
23
Hypocrisy Exposed
1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. 3Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and #23:3 Lit keep allcomply with it all, but do not do #23:3 Lit according to their deedsas they do; for they say things and do not do them. 4And they 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 to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their #23:5 I.e., small pouches containing Scripture texts, worn on the left forearm and forehead for religious purposesphylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues, 7and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called #23:7 In Heb “My Teacher” or “My Master”Rabbi by the people. 8But as for you, do not be called #23:8 In Heb “My Teacher” or “My Master”Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10And do not be called #23:10 Or teachersleaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 12Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Seven Woes
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because 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. # 23:13 Late mss add (traditionally v 14): Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses even while for appearances’ sake you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation (as v 14); cf. Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one # 23:15 Or convert proselyte; and when he becomes one, you # 23:15 I.e., doom him to hell make him twice as much a son of # 23:15 Gr Gehenna hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the # 23:16 Or sanctuary temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the # 23:16 Or sanctuary temple is obligated.’ 17You fools and blind men! Which is #23:17 Lit greatermore important, the gold or the #23:17 Or sanctuarytemple that sanctified the gold? 18And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the #23:18 Or giftoffering that is on it is obligated.’ 19You blind men, which is #23:19 Lit greatermore important, the #23:19 Or giftoffering or the altar that sanctifies the #23:19 Or giftoffering? 20Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by #23:20 Lit itthe altar and by everything on it. 21And the one who swears by the #23:21 Or sanctuarytemple, swears both by #23:21 Lit itthe temple and by Him who dwells in it. 22And the one who swears by #23:22 I.e., an indirect reference to Godheaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and # 23:23 Similar to caraway seeds cumin, 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 blind guides, who #23:24 Or filter outstrain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full # 23:25 Or as a result of of robbery and self-indulgence. 26You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the #23:26 If the inside was ritually unclean, the entire vessel was unclean whether the outside was cleaned or not (cf. Num 19:15)outside of it may also become clean.
27 “Woe 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 “Woe 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 are #23:31 Or descendantssons of those who murdered the prophets. 32#23:32 I.e., finish what they startedFill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33You snakes, you #23:33 Or broodoffspring of vipers, how #23:33 Lit are you to escapewill you escape the #23:33 Or judgmentsentence of #23:33 Gr Gehennahell?
34 “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, and persecute 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 Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the #23:35 Or sanctuarytemple and the altar. 36Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Grieving over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
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Matthew 23: NASB2020
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Matthew 23
23
A Warning Against Hypocrisy
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries # 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14]#23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’#23:39 Psalm 118:26”
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