馬太福音 23
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
譴責律法教師和法利賽人
23 隨後，耶穌對百姓和門徒說： 2 「律法教師和法利賽人坐在摩西的位子上講授律法。 3 你們要遵行他們的教導，但不要效法他們的行為，因為他們言行不一。 4 他們捆好重擔放在別人肩上，而自己連一根指頭也不肯動！
5 「他們的所作所為是為了給人看的，他們把額上佩戴的經文盒子加寬了，又將衣裳的穗邊加長了。 6 他們喜歡宴席中的上座和會堂裡的首位。 7 他們喜歡別人在街市上問候他們，稱呼他們為老師[a]。 8 但你們不要讓別人稱呼你們為老師，因為你們只有一位老師，你們彼此都是弟兄。 9 不要稱呼地上的人為父親，因為你們只有一位父親，祂在天上。 10 不要讓人稱你們為導師，因為你們只有一位導師——基督。 11 你們當中誰最偉大，誰就要作你們的僕人。 12 自高的人必遭貶抑，謙卑的人必得尊榮。
13 「虛偽的律法教師和法利賽人啊，你們有禍了！因為你們當著人們的面關閉天國之門，自己不進去，也不讓別人進去。
14 「虛偽的律法教師和法利賽人啊，你們有禍了！因為你們侵吞寡婦的財產，還假意做冗長的禱告。因此，你們會受到更嚴厲的刑罰。[b]
15 「虛偽的律法教師和法利賽人啊，你們有禍了！因為你們走遍海洋和陸地去引人入教，等人入了教，卻使他淪為地獄之子，比你們還壞兩倍。
16 「瞎眼的嚮導啊，你們有禍了！你們說，『指著聖殿發誓，不算數；但是指著聖殿裡的金子發誓，就要遵守誓言。』 17 無知的瞎子啊！金子重要呢？還是使金子神聖的聖殿重要呢？ 18 你們又說，『指著祭壇發誓不算數，但是指著壇上的供物發誓，就要遵守誓言。』 19 瞎眼的人啊！供物重要呢？還是使供物神聖的祭壇重要呢？ 20 其實指著祭壇發誓，就是指著祭壇和壇上的一切東西發誓。 21 指著聖殿發誓，就是指著聖殿和住在裡面的上帝發誓。 22 指著天發誓，就是指著上帝的寶座和坐在寶座上的那位發誓。
23 「虛偽的律法教師和法利賽人啊，你們有禍了！你們把薄荷、茴香、芹菜獻上十分之一，卻忽略了律法中更重要的事——公正、憐憫、信實。後者是你們本該做的，前者也不可忽略。 24 瞎眼的嚮導啊！你們濾出蚊蟲，卻吞下駱駝。
25 「虛偽的律法教師和法利賽人啊，你們有禍了！你們洗淨杯盤的外面，裡頭卻盛滿了貪婪和放縱。 26 瞎眼的法利賽人啊！要先洗淨杯盤的裡面，好讓外面也乾淨。[c]
27 「虛偽的律法教師和法利賽人啊，你們有禍了！你們好像粉飾的墳墓，外表好看，裡面卻裝滿了死人的骨頭和各樣污穢之物。 28 你們虛有公義的外表，內心卻充滿了各種的虛偽和罪惡。
29 「虛偽的律法教師和法利賽人啊，你們有禍了！你們為先知建墓，為義人修碑，並且說， 30 『如果我們活在我們祖先的時代，絕不會和他們一起去殺害先知。』 31 這樣，你們自己證明自己是殺害先知之人的後代。 32 去填滿你們祖先的罪惡吧！ 33 你們這些蛇，這些毒蛇的後代啊，你們怎能逃脫地獄的刑罰呢？
34 「看啊，我派先知、智者和律法教師到你們當中，有的會遭到你們的殺害，被你們釘在十字架上；有的會在會堂裡被你們鞭打，被你們從這城追到那城。 35 因此，所有義人在地上所流的血，就是從義人亞伯的血，直到你們在聖所和祭壇之間所殺的巴拉加的兒子撒加利亞的血，都要歸到你們身上。 36 我實在告訴你們，這一切的罪責都要歸到這個世代。
為耶路撒冷哀歎
37 「耶路撒冷啊！耶路撒冷啊！你常殺害先知，又用石頭打死派到你那裡的使者。我多次想要招聚你的兒女，像母雞將小雞聚集在翅膀底下，可是你們卻不肯。 38 看啊！你們的家園將一片荒涼。 39 我告訴你們，從現在起，直到你們說『奉主名來的當受稱頌』那天之前，你們再也見不到我了。」
Matthew 23
Lexham English Bible
Seven Woes Pronounced on the Scribes and Pharisees
23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but do not do as they do,[a] for they tell others to do something[b] and do not do it themselves.[c] 4 And they tie up heavy burdens[d] and put them[e] on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move them. 5 And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their[f] tassels long. 6 And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because one is your teacher, and you are all brothers, 9 And do not call anyone[g] your father on earth, for one is your heavenly Father. 10 And do not be called teachers, because one is your teacher, the Christ. 11 And the greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you shut the kingdom of heaven before people! For you do not enter, nor permit those wanting to go in[h] to enter.[i]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you travel around the sea and the dry land to make one convert, and when he becomes one,[j] you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are!
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’[k] 17 Fools and blind people! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing! But whoever swears by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’[l] 19 Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 Therefore the one who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything that is on it. 21 And the one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and neglect the more important matters of the law—justice and mercy and faithfulness! It was necessary[m] to do these things while not neglecting those.[n] 24 Blind guides who filter out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish,[o] so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean! 28 In the same way, on the outside you also appear righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets!’ 31 Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets! 32 And you—fill up the measure of your fathers! 33 Serpents! Offspring of vipers! How will you escape from the condemnation to hell? 34 For this reason, behold, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and will pursue from town to town, 35 so that upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel up to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation!
The Lament over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together the way[p] a hen gathers her young together under her[q] wings, and you were not willing! 38 Behold, your house has been left to you desolate! 39 For I tell you, you will never see me from now on until you say,
‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[r]
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:3 Literally “their deeds”
- Matthew 23:3 The words “others to do something” are not in the Greek text but are implied
- Matthew 23:3 *The words “it themselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied
- Matthew 23:4 Some manuscripts have “burdens that are heavy and hard to bear”
- Matthew 23:4 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 23:5 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 23:9 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 23:13 Here the present tense has been translated as voluntative (“wanting to go in”)
- Matthew 23:13 The most important Greek manuscripts omit v. 14, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you devour widows’ houses and for show you pray long prayers! Therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.”
- Matthew 23:15 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Matthew 23:16 The phrase “by his oath” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Matthew 23:18 The phrase “by his oath” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Matthew 23:23 Some manuscripts have “But it was necessary”
- Matthew 23:23 Literally “and those not to neglect”
- Matthew 23:26 Some manuscripts omit “and the dish”
- Matthew 23:37 Literally “in the manner in which”
- Matthew 23:37 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 23:39 A quotation from Ps 118:26
Matthew 23
EasyEnglish Bible
Jesus talks about dangerous teachers
23 After that, Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples. 2 He said, ‘The teachers of God's Law and the Pharisees have authority to explain the Law of Moses. 3 So you must obey everything that they teach you. But you should not do the same things that they do. They tell you what the Law of Moses teaches. But then they themselves do not obey it. 4 The rules that they give you are difficult to obey. Their rules are like heavy luggage, which they make you carry. But they themselves will not help you to carry that luggage. They will not agree to use even one finger to help you.[a]
5 The Pharisees do things only so that people will see them. They wear little boxes with words from the Bible in them, but they make them really big. They also make the tassels on their clothes very long.[b] 6 They like to sit in the important places at special meals. They also choose to sit in the best seats in the meeting places. 7 They like people to praise them in the market place. They want people to call them “Teacher.”
8 You all belong to God's family. You have only one Teacher. So nobody should call another person, “Teacher”.[c] 9 Also, do not call any other person in the world, “Father”. You have only one Father, and he is in heaven.[d] 10 And do not call each other “Leader”. You have only one Leader. He is the Messiah that God has chosen. 11 The person among you who is most important will be your servant. 12 Some people lift themselves up to be important. But God will bring them down low. Other people are humble. God will lift up those people to a good place.’
Jesus speaks against the teachers of God's Law and the Pharisees
13 Jesus spoke to the teachers of God's Law and the Pharisees. ‘It will be very bad for you,’ he said. ‘You are hypocrites! You have stopped people who wanted to go into the kingdom of heaven. It is like you have shut the door so that they cannot go in. Then you yourselves do not even go in.
14 [It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's Law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You take things away from women after their husbands have died. You pray for a long time so that other people will praise you. God will punish you much more than other people.][e]
15 It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's Law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You travel far across land and sea. You do this to make one person believe what you believe. Then, when he does believe your ideas, he becomes worse than you are. He shows that he belongs to hell even more than you do.
16 It will be very bad for you, teachers. You cannot see what is true, but you show people which way to go.[f] You say to people, “You may make a promise by the name of the temple. Then it is not a serious promise. You do not have to do it. But you may also make a promise by the gold things in the temple. Then it is a serious promise, and you must do it.” 17 This shows that you are fools. You do not understand what is true. Think about which of these is more important. Is it the gold things in the temple? Or is it the temple itself? It is the temple that makes the gold things special. 18 You also say to people, “You may make a promise by the altar in the temple. Then it is not a serious promise. You do not have to do it. But you may also make a promise by the gifts on that altar. Then it is a serious promise and you must do it.” 19 You are people who cannot understand what is true. Think about which of these things is more important. Is it the gifts on the altar? Or is it the altar itself? It is the altar that makes the gifts special. 20 Remember this: Somebody may make a promise by the name of the altar. Then he is making a promise by God's name. The altar as well as all the gifts on it are special to God. 21 Also, somebody may make a promise by the name of the temple. Then he is making a promise in the name of God, who lives there. 22 Or somebody may make a promise by heaven. Then he is making a promise by the place where God sits and rules. So he is making a promise by the name of God himself.[g]
23 It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's Law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! When you grow spices to cook with food, you give a tenth part of these small things to God. You are right to obey this rule. But you do not obey the more important parts of God's Law. You do not help people in a good way. You are not kind to them. You do not always do what God says is right. You should have done these important things as well as the other small things. 24 You are like blind people, but you show other people which way to go. You carefully take a small fly out of your water so that you do not drink it. But then you drink the large animal that is swimming in it![h]
25 It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's Law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You always clean the outside of your cups and plates very carefully. You only clean the outside part that people can see. But on the inside, everything is still dirty. Inside you, your minds are full of bad thoughts. You want to have more things for yourself. You hurt other people to get what you want. 26 Pharisees, you do not see what is true! You must first clean the inside of the cup. Then the outside that people can see will also be clean.
27 It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You are like a grave that has nice white paint on the outside and it looks beautiful. But on the inside it is full of bones and disgusting things. 28 You are the same as that. Other people look at you. They think that you are good and you obey God. But on the inside you are hypocrites. Your minds are full of many bad thoughts.
29 It will be very bad for you, teachers of God's Law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You build up the places where people have buried God's prophets. You make the places where they have buried good people to be beautiful. 30 You say, “Our ancestors killed God's prophets long ago. If we had lived at that time, we would not have helped our ancestors to do that.” 31 So you are speaking against yourselves. You show that you are the sons of those people who killed God's prophets. 32 Now you must finish the work that your ancestors began to do!
33 You are like a family of dangerous snakes! You will not be able to run away. God will surely punish you, and he will send you to hell. 34 So listen to this. God says, “I will send prophets to you. I will also send to you people who know many things. And I will send people to teach you what is true. But you will kill some of these people. You will kill some of them on a cross. In the places where you meet to pray, you will hit some of them with whips. They will run from one town to another town, but you will follow them.” 35 Because of all this, God will punish you for all the good people that you and your ancestors have killed. Long ago, Abel was the first of those good people. You also killed Zechariah, the son of Berekiah. He died in the yard of the temple near the altar.[i] 36 Yes, I tell you this: God will punish the people who are alive today for all those murders.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed God's prophets. They have thrown stones to kill other people that God has sent to you. Many times, I have wanted to bring all of your people near to me. A female bird covers her babies with her body to make them safe. But you would not let me keep you from danger like that. 38 So listen! Your place will now become like a wilderness where nobody lives. 39 And I tell you this. You will not see me again until the day when you say, “May the Lord God bless the man who comes with his authority!” ’[j]
Footnotes
- 23:4 The teachers of God's Law and the Pharisees taught extra rules to the Laws of Moses. This made it more difficult for people to obey all the Laws.
- 23:5 These little boxes were called phylacteries. A Jewish man would tie one to his head or to his arm. There was some paper with words from the Bible in the box. They wore the phylacteries and the tassels for other people to see. They wanted people to think that they really loved God.
- 23:8 Jesus is our master and our teacher.
- 23:9 Jesus was saying that God is their Father.
- 23:14 Verse 14 is not in all copies of Matthew's book.
- 23:16 Jesus meant that the teachers of God's Law and Pharisees did not understand about the kingdom. They were like men who could not see. They did not know God's way, but they were trying to teach it to other people.
- 23:22 Perhaps a person wants to make a promise very strong. So he uses someone's name to make the promise stronger. Jesus says that we should not do this. If we make a promise, people should be able to trust us to do what we have said.
- 23:24 The teachers of God's Law and the Pharisees obeyed the least important parts of the Law of Moses. But they did not obey the important parts. They did not understand that they were doing the wrong things.
- 23:35 Through the years bad men have killed many good men. The prophets wrote in the Bible about many people who died in that way. Abel was the first person like that. See Genesis 4:8. Zechariah was another good person that bad people killed. See 2 Chronicles 24:20-21.
- 23:39 See Psalms 118:26
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