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11 And it came to pass, in his being in a certain place praying, as he ceased, a certain one of his disciples said unto him, `Sir, teach us to pray, as also John taught his disciples.'

And he said to them, `When ye may pray, say ye: Our Father who art in the heavens; hallowed be Thy name: Thy reign come; Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on earth;

our appointed bread be giving us daily;

and forgive us our sins, for also we ourselves forgive every one indebted to us; and mayest Thou not bring us into temptation; but do Thou deliver us from the evil.'

And he said unto them, `Who of you shall have a friend, and shall go on unto him at midnight, and may say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves,

seeing a friend of mine came out of the way unto me, and I have not what I shall set before him,

and he from within answering may say, Do not give me trouble, already the door hath been shut, and my children with me are in the bed, I am not able, having risen, to give to thee.

`I say to you, even if he will not give to him, having risen, because of his being his friend, yet because of his importunity, having risen, he will give him as many as he doth need;

and I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you;

10 for every one who is asking doth receive; and he who is seeking doth find; and to him who is knocking it shall be opened.

11 `And of which of you -- the father -- if the son shall ask a loaf, a stone will he present to him? and if a fish, will he instead of a fish, a serpent present to him?

12 and if he may ask an egg, will he present to him a scorpion?

13 If, then, ye, being evil, have known good gifts to be giving to your children, how much more shall the Father who is from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those asking Him!'

14 And he was casting forth a demon, and it was dumb, and it came to pass, the demon having gone forth, the dumb man spake, and the multitudes wondered,

15 and certain of them said, `By Beelzeboul, ruler of the demons, he doth cast forth the demons;'

16 and others, tempting, a sign out of heaven from him were asking.

17 And he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, `Every kingdom having been divided against itself is desolated; and house against house doth fall;

18 and if also the Adversary against himself was divided, how shall his kingdom be made to stand? for ye say, by Beelzeboul is my casting forth the demons.

19 `But if I by Beelzeboul cast forth the demons -- your sons, by whom do they cast forth? because of this your judges they shall be;

20 but if by the finger of God I cast forth the demons, then come unawares upon you did the reign of God.

21 `When the strong man armed may keep his hall, in peace are his goods;

22 but when the stronger than he, having come upon [him], may overcome him, his whole-armour he doth take away in which he had trusted, and his spoils he distributeth;

23 he who is not with me is against me, and he who is not gathering with me doth scatter.

24 `When the unclean spirit may go forth from the man it walketh through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding, it saith, I will turn back to my house whence I came forth;

25 and having come, it findeth [it] swept and adorned;

26 then doth it go, and take to it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and having entered, they dwell there, and the last of that man becometh worst than the first.'

27 And it came to pass, in his saying these things, a certain woman having lifted up the voice out of the multitude, said to him, `Happy the womb that carried thee, and the paps that thou didst suck!'

28 And he said, `Yea, rather, happy those hearing the word of God, and keeping [it]!'

29 And the multitudes crowding together upon him, he began to say, `This generation is evil, a sign it doth seek after, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet,

30 for as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also shall the Son of Man be to this generation.

31 `A queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and lo, greater than Solomon here!

32 `Men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they reformed at the proclamation of Jonah; and lo, greater than Jonah here!

33 `And no one having lighted a lamp, doth put [it] in a secret place, nor under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, that those coming in may behold the light.

34 `The lamp of the body is the eye, when then thine eye may be simple, thy whole body also is lightened; and when it may be evil, thy body also is darkened;

35 take heed, then, lest the light that [is] in thee be darkness;

36 if then thy whole body is lightened, not having any part darkened, the whole shall be lightened, as when the lamp by the brightness may give thee light.'

37 And in [his] speaking, a certain Pharisee was asking him that he might dine with him, and having gone in, he reclined (at meat),

38 and the Pharisee having seen, did wonder that he did not first baptize himself before the dinner.

39 And the Lord said unto him, `Now do ye, the Pharisees, the outside of the cup and of the plate make clean, but your inward part is full of rapine and wickedness;

40 unthinking! did not He who made the outside also the inside make?

41 But what ye have give ye [as] alms, and, lo, all things are clean to you.

42 `But wo to you, the Pharisees, because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb, and ye pass by the judgment, and the love of God; these things it behoveth to do, and those not to be neglecting.

43 `Wo to you, the Pharisees, because ye love the first seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the market-places.

44 `Wo to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye are as the unseen tombs, and the men walking above have not known.'

45 And one of the lawyers answering, saith to him, `Teacher, these things saying, us also thou dost insult;'

46 and he said, `And to you, the lawyers, wo! because ye burden men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves with one of your fingers do not touch the burdens.

47 `Wo to you, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

48 Then do ye testify, and are well pleased with the works of your fathers, because they indeed killed them, and ye do build their tombs;

49 because of this also the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets, and apostles, and some of them they shall kill and persecute,

50 that the blood of all the prophets, that is being poured forth from the foundation of the world, may be required from this generation;

51 from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the house; yes, I say to you, It shall be required from this generation.

52 `Wo to you, the lawyers, because ye took away the key of the knowledge; yourselves ye did not enter; and those coming in, ye did hinder.'

53 And in his speaking these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began fearfully to urge and to press him to speak about many things,

54 laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

The Lord's Prayer

11 Now Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, (A)as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, (B)“When you pray, say:

(C)“Father, (D)hallowed be (E)your name.
(F)Your kingdom come.
(G)Give us (H)each day our daily bread,[b]
and (I)forgive us our sins,
    for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And (J)lead us not into temptation.”

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything (K)because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence[c] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, (L)ask, and (M)it will be given to you; (N)seek, and you will find; (O)knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for[d] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, (P)who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father (Q)give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus and Beelzebul

14 (R)Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons (S)by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, (T)to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 (U)But he, (V)knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, (W)by whom do (X)your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by (Y)the finger of God that I cast out demons, then (Z)the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 (AA)but when one stronger than he attacks him and (AB)overcomes him, he takes away his (AC)armor in which he trusted and (AD)divides his spoil. 23 (AE)Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

Return of an Unclean Spirit

24 (AF)“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through (AG)waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And (AH)the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

True Blessedness

27 As he said these things, (AI)a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, (AJ)“Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, (AK)“Blessed rather are those (AL)who hear the word of God and (AM)keep it!”

The Sign of Jonah

29 (AN)When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, (AO)“This generation is an evil generation. (AP)It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as (AQ)Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 (AR)The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and (AS)condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, (AT)something greater than Solomon is here. 32 (AU)The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and (AV)condemn it, for (AW)they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, (AX)something greater than Jonah is here.

The Light in You

33 (AY)“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is (AZ)the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is (BA)bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 (BB)Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, (BC)as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”

Woes to the Pharisees and Lawyers

37 While Jesus[e] was speaking, (BD)a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see (BE)that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, (BF)“Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of (BG)greed and wickedness. 40 (BH)You fools! (BI)Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But (BJ)give as alms those things that are within, and behold, (BK)everything is clean for you.

42 (BL)“But woe to you Pharisees! For (BM)you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect (BN)justice and (BO)the love of God. (BP)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For (BQ)you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! (BR)For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

45 One of (BS)the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you (BT)lawyers also! For (BU)you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 (BV)Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 (BW)So you are witnesses and you (BX)consent to the deeds of (BY)your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also (BZ)the Wisdom of God said, (CA)‘I will send them (CB)prophets and apostles, (CC)some of whom they will (CD)kill and persecute,’ 50 so that (CE)the blood of all the prophets, shed (CF)from the foundation of the world, may be (CG)charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of (CH)Abel to the blood of (CI)Zechariah, who perished between (CJ)the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be (CK)required of this generation. 52 Woe to you (CL)lawyers! (CM)For you have taken away the key of (CN)knowledge. You (CO)did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 (CP)lying in wait for him, (CQ)to catch him in something he might say.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 11:1 Greek he
  2. Luke 11:3 Or our bread for tomorrow
  3. Luke 11:8 Or persistence
  4. Luke 11:11 Some manuscripts insert bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for
  5. Luke 11:37 Greek he

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer(A)(B)

11 One day Jesus was praying(C) in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord,(D) teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom(E) come.[b]
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
    for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c](F)
And lead us not into temptation.[d]’”(G)

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.(H)

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you;(I) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus and Beelzebul(J)(K)

14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.(L) 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul,(M) the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”(N) 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.(O)

17 Jesus knew their thoughts(P) and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan(Q) is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,(R) then the kingdom of God(S) has come upon you.

21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.(T)

24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”(U)

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”(V)

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God(W) and obey it.”(X)

The Sign of Jonah(Y)

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign,(Z) but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.(AA) 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom;(AB) and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah;(AC) and now something greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body(AD)

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.(AE) 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[g] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[h] your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Woes on the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.(AF) 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.(AG)

39 Then the Lord(AH) said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.(AI) 40 You foolish people!(AJ) Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor,(AK) and everything will be clean for you.(AL)

42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth(AM) of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.(AN) You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.(AO)

43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.(AP)

44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves,(AQ) which people walk over without knowing it.”

45 One of the experts in the law(AR) answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.(AS)

47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.(AT) 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom(AU) said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’(AV) 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel(AW) to the blood of Zechariah,(AX) who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.(AY)

52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”(AZ)

53 When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.(BA)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 11:2 Some manuscripts Our Father in heaven
  2. Luke 11:2 Some manuscripts come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
  3. Luke 11:4 Greek everyone who is indebted to us
  4. Luke 11:4 Some manuscripts temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
  5. Luke 11:8 Or yet to preserve his good name
  6. Luke 11:11 Some manuscripts for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for
  7. Luke 11:34 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.
  8. Luke 11:34 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.

11 E avvenne che egli si trovava in un certo luogo a pregare e, come ebbe finito, uno dei suoi discepoli gli disse: «Signore, insegnaci a pregare, come Giovanni ha insegnato ai suoi discepoli».

Ed egli disse loro: «Quando pregate, dite: "Padre nostro che sei nei cieli, sia santificato il tuo nome, venga il tuo regno, sia fatta la tua volontà sulla terra, come nel cielo.

Dacci di giorno in giorno il nostro pane necessario.

E perdona i nostri peccati, perché anche noi perdoniamo ad ogni nostro debitore; e non esporci alla tentazione, ma liberaci dal maligno.

Poi disse loro: «Chi è fra voi colui che ha un amico, che va da lui a mezzanotte, dicendogli: "Amico, prestami tre pani,

perché un mio amico in viaggio è arrivato da me, e io non ho cosa mettergli davanti"

e quello di dentro, rispondendo, gli dice: "Non darmi fastidio, la porta è già chiusa e i miei bambini sono a letto con me; non posso alzarmi per darteli"?

Io vi dico che anche se non si alzasse a darglieli perché gli è amico, nondimeno per la sua insistenza si alzerà e gli darà tutti i pani di cui ha bisogno.

Perciò vi dico: Chiedete e vi sarà dato; cercate e troverete; bussate e vi sarà aperto.

10 Poiché chiunque chiede riceve, chi cerca trova e sarà aperto a chi bussa.

11 E chi è tra voi quel padre che, se il figlio gli chiede del pane, gli dà una pietra? O se gli chiede un pesce gli dà al posto del pesce una serpe?

12 O se gli chiede un uovo, gli dà uno scorpione?

13 Se voi dunque, che siete malvagi, sapete dare buoni doni ai vostri figli, quanto piú il vostro Padre celeste donerà lo Spirito Santo a coloro che glielo chiedono».

14 Or egli stava scacciando un demone che era muto; e avvenne che, quando il demone fu uscito, il muto parlò e le folle si meravigliarono.

15 Ma alcuni di loro dissero: «Egli scaccia i demoni per mezzo di Beelzebub il principe dei demoni».

16 Altri invece, per metterlo alla prova, chiedevano da lui un segno dal cielo.

17 Ma egli, conoscendo i loro pensieri, disse loro: «Ogni regno diviso contro se stesso va in rovina, e ogni casa divisa contro se stessa crolla.

18 Se dunque anche Satana è diviso contro se stesso, come può durare il suo regno? Poiché voi dite che io scaccio i demoni per mezzo di Beelzebub.

19 Or se io scaccio i demoni per mezzo di Beelzebub, per mezzo di chi li scacciano i vostri figli? Perciò essi saranno i vostri giudici.

20 Ma se io scaccio i demoni col dito di Dio, il regno di Dio è dunque giunto fino a voi.

21 Quando l'uomo forte, ben armato, custodisce la sua casa, i suoi beni stanno al sicuro.

22 Ma se arriva uno piú forte di lui e lo vince, questi gli toglie l'armatura nella quale confidava e ne divide le sue spoglie.

23 Chi non è con me è contro di me, e chi non raccoglie con me disperde.

24 Quando lo spirito immondo esce da un uomo, vaga per luoghi aridi, cercando riposo; e, non trovandone, dice: "Ritornerò nella mia casa dalla quale sono uscito".

25 E, se quando torna, la trova spazzata e adorna,

26 allora va e prende con sé sette altri spiriti peggiori di lui, ed essi entrano là e vi abitano; e l'ultima condizione di quell'uomo diviene peggiore della prima».

27 Or avvenne che, mentre egli diceva queste cose, una donna della folla alzò la voce e gli disse: «Beato il grembo che ti ha portato e le mammelle che ti hanno allattato».

28 Ma egli disse: «Beati piuttosto coloro che odono la parola di Dio e l'osservano».

29 Ora, come le folle gli si stringevano attorno, egli cominciò a dire: «Questa generazione è malvagia; essa chiede un segno, ma nessun segno le sarà dato se non il segno del profeta Giona.

30 Infatti, come Giona fu un segno per i Niniviti, cosí anche il Figlio dell'uomo sarà un segno per questa generazione.

31 La regina del Mezzodí si leverà nel giudizio con gli uomini di questa generazione e li condannerà, perché essa venne dagli estremi confini della terra per udire la sapienza di Salomone; ed ecco, qui vi è uno piú grande di Salomone.

32 I Niniviti risorgeranno nel giudizio con questa generazione e la condanneranno, perché essi si ravvidero alla predicazione di Giona, ed ecco, qui vi è uno piú grande di Giona».

33 «Or nessuno, quando ha acceso una lampada, la mette in un luogo nascosto o sotto il moggio, ma sul candeliere, affinché coloro che entrano vedano la luce.

34 La lampada del corpo è l'occhio se dunque il tuo occhio è sano, tutto il tuo corpo sarà illuminato, ma se il tuo occhio è malato, anche tutto il tuo corpo sarà pieno di tenebre.

35 Bada perciò che la luce che è in te non sia tenebre.

36 Se quindi tutto il tuo corpo è illuminato senza avere alcuna parte tenebrosa, tutto sarà illuminato, come quando la lampada ti illumina col suo splendore».

37 Ora, mentre egli parlava, un certo fariseo lo invitò a pranzo in casa sua. Ed egli entrò e si mise a tavola.

38 Il fariseo notò questo e si meravigliò che non si fosse lavato prima del pranzo.

39 E il Signore gli disse: «Ora voi farisei pulite l'esterno della coppa e del piatto, ma il vostro interno è pieno di rapina e di malvagità.

40 Stolti! Colui che ha fatto l'esterno non ha fatto anche l'interno?

41 Ma date in elemosina quel che c'è dentro, e ogni cosa sarà pura per voi.

42 Ma guai a voi farisei! Poiché voi pagate la decima della ruta della menta e di ogni erba, e poi trascurate la giustizia e l'amore di Dio. Dovevate fare queste cose, senza trascurare le altre.

43 Guai a voi farisei! Perché amate il primo posto nelle sinagoghe e i saluti nelle piazze.

44 Guai a voi scribi e farisei ipocriti! Perché siete come i sepolcri che non si vedono, e gli uomini vi camminano sopra senza accorgersene».

45 Allora uno dei dottori della legge, rispondendo, gli disse: «Maestro, dicendo queste cose, tu offendi anche noi».

46 Ed egli disse: «Guai anche a voi, dottori della legge! Perché caricate gli uomini di pesi difficili da portare, e voi non toccate questi pesi neppure con un dito.

47 Guai a voi! Perché voi edificate i sepolcri dei profeti, e i vostri padri li hanno uccisi.

48 Cosí facendo, voi testimoniate e approvate le opere dei vostri padri, infatti essi uccisero i profeti e voi edificate i loro sepolcri.

49 Per questa ragione anche la sapienza di Dio ha detto: "Io manderò loro dei profeti e degli apostoli, ed essi ne uccideranno alcuni ed altri li perseguiteranno".

50 Affinché sia chiesto conto a questa generazione del sangue di tutti i profeti, che è stato sparso fin dalla fondazione del mondo:

51 dal sangue di Abele fino al sangue di Zaccaria, che fu ucciso tra l'altare e il tempio; sí, io vi dico, ne sarà chiesto conto a questa generazione.

52 Guai a voi dottori della legge! Perché avete sottratto la chiave della scienza voi stessi non siete entrati e ne avete impedito l'accesso a coloro che entravano».

53 Ora, mentre egli diceva loro queste cose, gli scribi e i farisei, cominciarono ad irritarsi grandemente contro di lui e ad assalirlo con molte domande

54 tendendogli tranelli, per coglierlo in fallo e poterlo accusare per qualche sua parola.