Matthew 23:8-22

New American Standard Bible

⁸ But as for you, ^(A)do not be called ^[a](B)Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. ⁹ And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only ^(C)One is your Father, He who is in heaven. ¹⁰ And do not be called ^[b]leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. ^11 (D)But the greatest of you shall be your servant. ^12 (E)Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Eight Woes

¹³ “^(F)But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, ^(G)because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.^[c]

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one ^[d](H)proselyte; and when he becomes one, you ^[e]make him twice as much a son of ^[f](I)hell as yourselves.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, ^(J)blind guides, who say, ‘^(K)Whoever swears by the ^[g]temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the ^[h]temple is obligated.’ ¹⁷ You fools and blind men! ^(L)Which is ^[i]more important, the gold or the ^[j]temple that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the ^[k]offering that is on it is obligated.’ ¹⁹ You blind men, ^(M)which is ^[l]more important, the ^[m]offering or the altar that sanctifies the ^[n]offering? ²⁰ Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by ^[o]the altar and by everything on it. ²¹ And the one who swears by the ^[p]temple, swears both by ^[q]the temple and by Him who ^(N)dwells in it. ²² And the one who swears by ^[r]heaven, ^(O)swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.