13 “But woe (A)to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you (B)shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you (C)neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.[a] 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single (D)proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a (E)child of (F)hell[b] as yourselves.

16 “Woe to (G)you, (H)blind guides, who say, (I)‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or (J)the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by (K)the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or (L)the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by (M)him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by (N)heaven swears by (O)the throne of God and by (P)him who sits upon it.

23 (Q)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (R)you tithe mint and dill and (S)cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: (T)justice and mercy and faithfulness. (U)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing (V)a camel!

25 (W)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (X)you clean the outside of (Y)the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of (Z)greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of (AA)the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

27 (AB)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like (AC)whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and (AD)all uncleanness. 28 So you also (AE)outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of (AF)hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 (AG)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 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 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are (AH)sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 (AI)Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, (AJ)you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to (AK)hell? 34 (AL)Therefore (AM)I send you (AN)prophets and wise men and (AO)scribes, (AP)some of whom you will kill and crucify, and (AQ)some you will (AR)flog in your synagogues and (AS)persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all (AT)the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (AU)Abel to the blood of (AV)Zechariah the son of Barachiah,[c] whom you murdered between (AW)the sanctuary and (AX)the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, (AY)all these things will come upon this generation.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:13 Some manuscripts add here (or after verse 12) verse 14: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation
  2. Matthew 23:15 Greek Gehenna; also verse 33
  3. Matthew 23:35 Some manuscripts omit the son of Barachiah

Bible Gateway Recommends

ESV Economy Bible, Softcover
ESV Economy Bible, Softcover
Retail: $4.99
Our Price: $2.39
Save: $2.60 (52%)
4.0 of 5.0 stars
ESV Economy Bible, Large Print Softcover
ESV Economy Bible, Large Print Softcover
Retail: $7.99
Our Price: $4.99
Save: $3.00 (38%)
4.0 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $26.99
Save: $18.00 (40%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible, TruTone, Sky Blue with Ivy Design
ESV Student Study Bible, TruTone, Sky Blue with Ivy Design
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $19.99
Save: $25.00 (56%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Green with Mosaic Cross Design
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Green with Mosaic Cross Design
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $19.99
Save: $25.00 (56%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars