Matthew 23
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Religious Hypocrites Denounced
23 Then(A) Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:(B) 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.[a](C) 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do,[b] because they don’t practice what they teach.(D) 4 They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry[c] and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger[d] to move them.(E) 5 They do everything[e] to be observed by others: They enlarge their phylacteries[f](F) and lengthen their tassels.[g](G) 6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues,(H) 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.
8 “But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher,[h] and you are all brothers.(I) 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.(J) 10 And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master,[i] the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(K) 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.(L)
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.(M)
[14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show.[j] This is why you will receive a harsher punishment.][k]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte,(N) and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell[l] as you are!
16 “Woe to you, blind guides,(O) who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath(P) by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.’[m] 17 Blind fools![n] For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold? 18 Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’[o] 19 Blind people![p] For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?(Q) 20 Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. 21 The one who takes an oath by the sanctuary takes an oath by it and by Him who dwells(R) in it. 22 And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne(S) and by Him who sits on it.(T)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of[q] mint, dill, and cumin,[r] yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice,(U) mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides!(V) You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed[s] and self-indulgence!(W) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,[t] so the outside of it[u] may also become clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,(X) which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’[v] 31 You, therefore, testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins
33 “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?[x](Z) 34 This is why I am sending you prophets,(AA) sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues(AB) and hound from town to town. 35 So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you,[y] from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,(AC) son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.(AD) 36 I assure you: All these things will come on this generation!(AE)
Jesus’ Lamentation over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem!(AF) She who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks[z] under her wings, yet you were not willing!(AG) 38 See, your house is left to you desolate.(AH) 39 For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One’!”(AI)[aa]
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:2 Perhaps a special chair for teaching in synagogues, or a metaphorical phrase for teaching with Moses’ authority
- Matthew 23:3 Lit do according to their works
- Matthew 23:4 Other mss omit that are hard to carry
- Matthew 23:4 Lit lift with their finger
- Matthew 23:5 Lit do all their works
- Matthew 23:5 Small leather boxes containing OT texts, worn by Jews on their arms and foreheads
- Matthew 23:5 Other mss add on their robes
- Matthew 23:8 Other mss add the Messiah
- Matthew 23:10 Or Teacher
- Matthew 23:14 Or prayers with false motivation
- Matthew 23:14 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Matthew 23:15 Lit twice the son of gehenna
- Matthew 23:16 Lit is obligated
- Matthew 23:17 Lit Fools and blind
- Matthew 23:18 Lit is obligated
- Matthew 23:19 Other mss read Fools and blind
- Matthew 23:23 Or You tithe
- Matthew 23:23 A plant whose seeds are used as a seasoning
- Matthew 23:25 Or full of violence
- Matthew 23:26 Other mss add and dish
- Matthew 23:26 Other mss read of them
- Matthew 23:30 Lit have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets
- Matthew 23:32 Lit the measure of your fathers
- Matthew 23:33 Lit escape from the judgment of gehenna
- Matthew 23:35 Lit will come on you
- Matthew 23:37 Or as a mother bird gathers her young
- Matthew 23:39 Ps 118:26
Matthew 23
Legacy Standard Bible
The Scribes and Pharisees Denounced
23 (A)Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “(B)The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and keep, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. 4 (C)And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. 5 But they do all their deeds (D)to be noticed by men; for they (E)broaden their [a]phylacteries and lengthen (F)the tassels of their garments. 6 And they (G)love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and respectful greetings in the marketplaces, and being called (H)Rabbi by men. 8 But (I)do not be called (J)Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for (K)One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 Do not be called instructors; for One is your Instructor, that is, Christ. 11 (L)But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 (M)And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees
13 “(N)But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, (O)because you shut off the kingdom of heaven [b]from [c]people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 [d][Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because (P)you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one [e](Q)proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of [f](R)hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, (S)blind guides, who say, ‘(T)Whoever swears by the [g]sanctuary, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the [h]sanctuary is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! For (U)which is [i]more important, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the [j]offering on it, he is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, (V)which is [k]more important, the [l]offering, or the altar that sanctifies the [m]offering? 20 Therefore, [n]whoever swears by the altar, swears both by [o]the altar and by everything on it. 21 And [p]whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears both by the [q]sanctuary and by Him who (W)dwells within it. 22 And [r]whoever swears by heaven, (X)swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23 “(Y)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and [s]cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You (Z)blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (AA)you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full [t]of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first (AB)clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27 “(AC)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 In this way, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “(AD)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you bear witness against yourselves, that you (AE)are [u]sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33 You serpents, (AF)you brood of vipers, how [v]will you escape the [w]sentence of [x](AG)hell?
34 “(AH)On account of this, behold, (AI)I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will (AJ)flog in your synagogues, and (AK)persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (AL)Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the (AM)son of Berechiah, whom (AN)you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon (AO)this generation.
Lament over Jerusalem
37 “(AP)Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who (AQ)kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, (AR)the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you did not want it. 38 Behold, (AS)your house is being left to you desolate! 39 For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘(AT)Blessed is He who comes in the name of the [y]Lord!’”
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:5 Small cases containing Scripture texts worn on the left arm and forehead for religious purposes
- Matthew 23:13 Lit in front of
- Matthew 23:13 Gr anthropoi
- Matthew 23:14 Early mss omit this v
- Matthew 23:15 Or convert
- Matthew 23:15 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 23:16 The inner part of the temple
- Matthew 23:16 The inner part of the temple
- Matthew 23:17 Lit greater
- Matthew 23:18 Or gift
- Matthew 23:19 Lit greater
- Matthew 23:19 Or gift
- Matthew 23:19 Or gift
- Matthew 23:20 Lit he who
- Matthew 23:20 Lit it
- Matthew 23:21 Lit he who
- Matthew 23:21 Lit it
- Matthew 23:22 Lit he who
- Matthew 23:23 Similar to caraway seeds
- Matthew 23:25 Or as a result of
- Matthew 23:31 Or descendants
- Matthew 23:33 Lit would
- Matthew 23:33 Or judgment
- Matthew 23:33 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 23:39 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 118:26
Matthew 23
Darby Translation
23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees have set themselves down in Moses' seat:
3 all things therefore, whatever they may tell you, do and keep. But do not after their works, for they say and do not,
4 but bind burdens heavy and hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of men, but will not move them with their finger.
5 And all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders [of their garments],
6 and love the chief place in feasts and the first seats in the synagogues,
7 and salutations in the market-places, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But *ye*, be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your instructor, and all *ye* are brethren.
9 And call not [any one] your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, he who is in the heavens.
10 Neither be called instructors, for one is your instructor, the Christ.
11 But the greatest of you shall be your servant.
12 And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men; for *ye* do not enter, nor do ye suffer those that are entering to go in.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye compass the sea and the dry [land] to make one proselyte, and when he is become [such], ye make him twofold more [the] son of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe to you, blind guides, who 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 greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it is a debtor.
19 [Fools and] blind ones, for which is greater, the gift, or the altar which sanctifies the gift?
20 He therefore that swears by the altar swears by it and by all things that are upon it.
21 And he that swears by the temple swears by it and by him that dwells in it.
22 And he that swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him that sits upon it.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and ye have left aside the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy and faith: these ye ought to have done and not have left those aside.
24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat, but drink down the camel.
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within they are full of rapine and intemperance.
26 Blind Pharisee, make clean first the inside of the cup and of the dish, that their outside also may become clean.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
28 Thus also *ye*, outwardly ye appear righteous to men, but within are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets and adorn the tombs of the just,
30 and ye 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 that ye bear witness of yourselves that ye are sons of those who slew the prophets:
32 and *ye*, fill ye up the measure of your fathers.
33 Serpents, offspring of vipers, how should ye escape the judgment of hell?
34 Therefore, behold, *I* send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and [some] of them ye will kill and crucify, and [some] of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute from city to city;
35 so that all righteous blood shed upon the earth should come upon *you*, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [the city] that kills the prophets and stones those that are sent unto her, how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate;
39 for I say unto you, Ye shall in no wise see me henceforth until ye say, Blessed [be] he that comes in the name of [the] Lord.
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