Matthew, 23

1. Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said,

1. Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2. 'The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses.

2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

3. You must therefore do and observe what they tell you; but do not be guided by what they do, since they do not practise what they preach.

3. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they!

4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men's shoulders; but they [themselves] will not move them with one of their fingers.

5. Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader headbands and longer tassels,

5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6. like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues,

6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7. being greeted respectfully in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.

7. And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8. 'You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers.

8. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.

9. And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.

10. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ.

11. The greatest among you must be your servant.

11. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12. Anyone who raises himself up will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.

12. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13. 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut up the kingdom of Heaven in people's faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go who want to.

13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14.

14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15. 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and anyone who becomes one you make twice as fit for hell as you are.

15. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

16. 'Alas for you, blind guides! You say, "If anyone swears by the Temple, it has no force; but anyone who swears by the gold of the Temple is bound."

16. Woe unto you, [ye] blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

17. Fools and blind! For which is of greater value, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?

17. [Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18. Again, "If anyone swears by the altar it has no force; but anyone who swears by the offering on the altar, is bound."

18. And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

19. You blind men! For which is of greater worth, the offering or the altar that makes the offering sacred?

19. [Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20. Therefore, someone who swears by the altar is swearing by that and by everything on it.

20. Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21. And someone who swears by the Temple is swearing by that and by the One who dwells in it.

21. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22. And someone who swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seated there.

22. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23. 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay your tithe of mint and dill and cummin and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law-justice, mercy, good faith! These you should have practised, those not neglected.

23. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24. You blind guides, straining out gnats and swallowing camels!

24. [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25. 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance.

25. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26. Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that it and the outside are both clean.

26. [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27. 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of corruption.

27. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness.

28. In just the same way, from the outside you look upright, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29. 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build the sepulchres of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the upright,

29. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30. saying, "We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our ancestors' day."

30. 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.

31. So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the children of those who murdered the prophets!

31. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

32. Very well then, finish off the work that your ancestors began.

32. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33. 'You serpents, brood of vipers, how can you escape being condemned to hell?

33. [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

34. This is why -- look -- I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some you will slaughter and crucify, some you will scourge in your synagogues and hunt from town to town;

34. Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city:

35. and so you will draw down on yourselves the blood of every upright person that has been shed on earth, from the blood of Abel the holy to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

35. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

36. In truth I tell you, it will all recoil on this generation.

36. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

37. 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you refused!

37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!

38. Look! Your house will be deserted,

38. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39. for, I promise, you shall not see me any more until you are saying: Blessed is he who is coming in the name of the Lord!'

39. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.