The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 23 -

(Luke 11:37–54)

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes, and to His disciples,

saying, “On the seat of Moses sat down the scribes and the Pharisees;

all, then, as much as they may say to you to observe, observe and do, but according to their works do not do, for they say, and do not do;

for they bind together burdens [too] heavy and grievous to bear, and lay [them] on the shoulders of men, but with their finger they will not move them.

And all their works they do to be seen by men, and they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the fringes of their garments,

they also cherish the first couches at the banquets, and the first seats in the synagogues,

and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

And you may not be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher—the Christ, and you are all brothers;

and you may not call [any] your father on the earth, for one is your Father, who is in the heavens,

nor may you be called teachers, for one is your teacher—the Christ.

And the greater of you will be your servant,

and whoever will exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men, for you do not go in, nor do you permit those going in to enter.

[[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you eat up the houses of the widows, and for a pretense make long prayers, because of this you will receive more abundant judgment.]]

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you go around the sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and whenever it may happen—you make him a son of Gehenna twofold more than yourselves.

Woe to you, blind guides, who are saying, Whoever may swear by the temple, it is nothing, but whoever may swear by the gold of the temple—is debtor!

Fools and blind! For which [is] greater, the gold, or the temple that is sanctifying the gold?

And, Whoever may swear by the altar, it is nothing, but whoever may swear by the gift that is on it—is debtor!

Fools and blind! For which [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that is sanctifying the gift?

He therefore who swore by the altar, swears by it, and by all things on it;

and he who swore by the temple, swears by it, and by Him who is dwelling in it;

and he who swore by Heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by Him who is sitting on it.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you give tithe of the mint, and the dill, and the cumin, and neglected the weightier things of the Law—judgment, and kindness, and faith; these it was necessary to do, and those not to neglect.

Blind guides! Who are straining out the gnat, and are swallowing the camel.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you make clean the outside of the cup and the plate, and within they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.

Blind Pharisee! First cleanse the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside of them may also become clean.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you are like to whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful, and within are full of bones of dead men, and of all uncleanness;

so also you outwardly indeed appear to men righteous, and within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the graves of the prophets, and adorn the tombs of the righteous,

and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

So that you testify to yourselves that you are sons of them who murdered the prophets;

and you fill up the measure of your fathers.

Serpents! Brood of vipers! How may you escape from the judgment of Gehenna?

Because of this, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and of them you will kill and crucify, and of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and will pursue from city to city,

that on you may come all the righteous blood being poured out on the earth from the blood of Abel the righteous, to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar:

truly I say to you, all these things will come on this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

(Luke 13:31–35)

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that are killing the prophets, and stoning those sent to you, how often I willed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her own chickens under the wings, and you did not will.

Behold, your house is left to you desolate;

for I say to you, you may not see Me from now on, until you may say, Blessed [is] He who is coming in the Name of the LORD.”

(Luke 11:37–54)

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,

saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.

All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do.

For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.

But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries (a) broad and enlarge the fringes (b) of their garments,

and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ (c) by men.

But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.

But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter. (d)

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna (e) as yourselves.

“Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’

You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’

You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it.

He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living (f) in it.

He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, (g) and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness. (h)

You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness.

Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous,

and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.

Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna? (i)

Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,

that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.

Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

(Luke 13:31–35)

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (j)

Footnotes

(a)23:5 phylacteries (tefillin in Hebrew) are small leather pouches that some Jewish men wear on their forehead and arm in prayer. They are used to carry a small scroll with some Scripture in it. See Deuteronomy 6:8 .

(b)23:5 or, tassels

(d)23:14 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.

(e)23:15 or, Hell

(f)23:21 NU reads “lives”

(g)23:23 cumin is an aromatic seed from Cuminum cyminum, resembling caraway in flavor and appearance. It is used as a spice.

(h)23:25 TR reads “self-indulgence” instead of “unrighteousness”

(i)23:33 or, Hell

(j)23:39 ℘ Psalms 118:26