Matthew, 23

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

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

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

2. "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on 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. so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.

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. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.

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

5. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,

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

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

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

7. and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men.

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

8. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all 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 on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

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

10. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ.

11. The greatest among you must be your servant.

11. He who 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. whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will 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 to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in.

14.

14.

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 to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as 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 to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'

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

17. You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

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 you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.'

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

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

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

20. So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it;

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

21. and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it;

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

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 to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

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

24. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing 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 to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity.

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

26. You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

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 to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

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

28. So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you 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 to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments 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. saying, `If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

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

31. Thus you witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

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

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

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

33. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to 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. Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,

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 on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah the son of Barachi'ah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

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

36. Truly, I say to you, all this will 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, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!

38. Look! Your house will be deserted,

38. Behold, your house is forsaken and 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 tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"