Matthew 23
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1Then Jesus told the crowds and his disciples, 1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
2"The scribes and the Pharisees administer the authority of Moses,2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
3So do whatever they tell you and follow it, but stop doing what they do, because they don't do what they say. 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 burdens that are heavy and unbearable and lay them on people's shoulders, but they refuse to lift a finger to remove them.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"They do everything to be seen by people. They increase the size of their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 5"Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;
6They love to have the places of honor at festivals, the best seats in the synagogues, 6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;
7to be greeted in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by people.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,' because you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers. 8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
9And don't call anyone on earth 'Father,' because you have only one Father, the one in heaven. 9And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
10Nor are you to be called 'Teachers,' because you have only one teacher, the Messiah!10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
11The person who is greatest among you must be your servant. 11The greatest among you will be your servant.
12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.12For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
13"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom from heaven in people's faces. You don't go in yourselves, and you don't allow those who are trying to enter to go in.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"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows' houses and say long prayers to cover it up. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation! 14
15"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make a single convert, and when this happens you make him twice as fit for hell as you are.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"How terrible it will be for you, blind guides! You say, 'Whoever swears an oath by the sanctuary is excused, but whoever swears an oath by the gold of the sanctuary must keep his oath.'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! What is more important, the gold or the sanctuary that made the gold holy? 17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18Again you say, 'Whoever swears an oath by the altar is excused, but whoever swears by the gift that is on it must keep his oath.'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 more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20Therefore, the one who swears an oath by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 20Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21The one who swears an oath by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who lives there. 21And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.
22And the one who swears an oath by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.22And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.
23"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cummin, but have neglected the more important matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others. 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 filter out a gnat, yet swallow a camel!24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but on the inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 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.
26You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that its outside may also be clean.26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people's bones and every kind of impurity. 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 look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.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"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. 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.
30Then you say, 'If we had been living in the days of our ancestors, we would have had no part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 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.'
31Therefore, you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.
32Then finish what your ancestors started!32Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33You snakes, you children of serpents! How can you escape being condemned to hell? 33"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?
34"That is why I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. 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.
35As a result, you will be held accountable for all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Berechiah's son Zechariah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 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.
36I tell all of you with certainty, all these things will happen to those living today." 36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
37"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones to death those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 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 abandoned! 38Look, your house is left to you desolate.
39I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'How blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!'" 39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
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Matthew 22
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