Matthew 23
Smith's Literal Translation Par ▾ 

Woes to Scribes and Pharisees
(Luke 11:37–54)

1Then spake Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, 2Saying, Upon Moses' seat sat the scribes and Pharisees. 3Therefore all whatever they say to you to keep, keep and do; and according to their works do not, for they say and do not. 4For they bind loads heavy and difficult to carry, and put upon men's shoulders; and with their fingers will they not move them. 5And all their works do they, to be seen by men: and make broad their preservatives, and enlarge the border of their garments. 6And love the first place at suppers, and the first seat in the assemblies, 7And greetings in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8And be ye not called Rabbi: for one is your guide, Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9And call not your father upon earth: for one is your Father, which in the heavens. 10Nor be ye called leaders, for one is your Leader, Christ. 11And the greater of you shall be your servant. 12And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whoever shall humble himself, shall be exalted.

13Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye lock up the kingdom of the heavens before men: for ye come not in yourselves, neither those coming in, permit ye to come in. 14Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for pretence, praying at great lengths; for this shall ye receive more distinguished judgment.

15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees hypocrites! for ye go about sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he should become, ye make him the son of hell, twofold more than you.

16Woe to you blind guides, saying, Whoever should swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever should swear by the gold of the temple, he is indebted! 17Foolish and blind; for which is the greater, the gold, or the temple consecrating the gold? 18And, Whoever should swear by the altar, it is nothing; and whoever should swear by the gift above it, he is indebted. 19Foolish and blind: for which is the greater, the gift, or the altar, consecrating the gifts? 20Therefore, he having sworn by the altar, swears by it, and by all above it. 21And he having sworn by the temple, swears by it, and by him dwelling in it. 22And he having sworn by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him sitting above it.

23Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye exact tenths and dill and cummin, and ye have left the weightier things of the law, judgment, and mercy, and faith: these it was necessary to do, and not to let go those. 24Blind guides, straining a gnat, and swallowing down a camel.

25Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup, and the side dish of sweet-meats, and within they are full of pillage and bad mixture. 26O blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, and side dish of sweetmeats, that also their outside might be clean.

27Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like whitewashed tombs, which without indeed appear beautiful, but within are full of the bones of the dead, and of all uncleanness. 28So also ye without truly appear just to men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and deck the monuments of the just, 30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we had not been their partakers in the blood of the prophets, 31Wherefore ye bear testimony to yourselves, that ye are the sons of those having slain the prophets. 32And fill ye up yourselves the measure of your fathers. 33Serpents, generations of vipers, how would ye flee from the judgment of hell?

34Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, and the wise, and scribes: and of them shall ye kill and crucify; and of them shall ye chastise in your assemblies, and drive out from city to city, 35So that all the just blood shed upon the earth might come upon you, from the blood of just Abel to the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye killed between the temple and altar. 36Truly I say to you, All these shall come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem
(Luke 13:31–35)

37Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets, and stoning those sent to her; how often did I wish to gather thy children together, which manner a bird gathers together her young broods under the wings, and ye would not! 38Behold, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I say to you, Ye should not see me from henceforth, till ye should say, Praised be he coming in the name of the Lord.


The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments; Translated Literally From The Original Tongues by Julia E. Smith

Section Headings Courtesy Berean Bible

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