Luke 11:37-53
English Standard Version
Woes to the Pharisees and Lawyers
37 While Jesus[a] was speaking, (A)a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see (B)that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, (C)“Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of (D)greed and wickedness. 40 (E)You fools! (F)Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But (G)give as alms those things that are within, and behold, (H)everything is clean for you.
42 (I)“But woe to you Pharisees! For (J)you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect (K)justice and (L)the love of God. (M)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For (N)you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! (O)For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”
45 One of (P)the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you (Q)lawyers also! For (R)you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 (S)Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 (T)So you are witnesses and you (U)consent to the deeds of (V)your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also (W)the Wisdom of God said, (X)‘I will send them (Y)prophets and apostles, (Z)some of whom they will (AA)kill and persecute,’ 50 so that (AB)the blood of all the prophets, shed (AC)from the foundation of the world, may be (AD)charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of (AE)Abel to the blood of (AF)Zechariah, who perished between (AG)the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be (AH)required of this generation. 52 Woe to you (AI)lawyers! (AJ)For you have taken away the key of (AK)knowledge. You (AL)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,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 11:37 Greek he
Luke 11:37-53
Common English Bible
Jesus condemns Pharisees and legal experts
37 While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to share a meal with him, so Jesus went and took his place at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw that Jesus didn’t ritually purify his hands by washing before the meal, he was astonished.
39 The Lord said to him, “Now, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and platter, but your insides are stuffed with greed and wickedness. 40 Foolish people! Didn’t the one who made the outside also make the inside? 41 Therefore, give to those in need from the core of who you are and you will be clean all over.
42 “How terrible for you Pharisees! You give a tenth of your mint, rue, and garden herbs of all kinds, while neglecting justice and love for God. These you ought to have done without neglecting the others.
43 “How terrible for you Pharisees! You love the most prominent seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
44 “How terrible for you! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk on them without recognizing it.”
45 One of the legal experts responded, “Teacher, when you say these things, you are insulting us too.”
46 Jesus said, “How terrible for you legal experts too! You load people down with impossible burdens and you refuse to lift a single finger to help them.
47 “How terrible for you! You built memorials to the prophets, whom your ancestors killed. 48 In this way, you testify that you approve of your ancestors’ deeds. They killed the prophets, and you build memorials! 49 Therefore, God’s wisdom has said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them and they will harass and kill some of them.’ 50 As a result, this generation will be charged with the murder of all the prophets since the beginning of time. 51 This includes the murder of every prophet—from Abel to Zechariah—who was killed between the altar and the holy place. Yes, I’m telling you, this generation will be charged with it.
52 “How terrible for you legal experts! You snatched away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter yourselves, and you stood in the way of those who were entering.”
53 As he left there, the legal experts and Pharisees began to resent him deeply and to ask him pointed questions about many things.
Read full chapterThe Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible