14 Now the Pharisees, who were (A)lovers of money, were listening to all these things and (B)were [a]ridiculing Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are the ones who (C)justify yourselves in the sight of people, but (D)God knows your hearts; because that which is highly esteemed among people is detestable in the sight of God.

16 (E)The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John came; since that time (F)the gospel of the kingdom of God [b]has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 17 (G)But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one [c]stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:14 Or sneering at
  2. Luke 16:16 Lit is preached
  3. Luke 16:17 I.e., projection of a letter (serif)

Hypocrisy, Law, and the Kingdom of God

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. 15 And he said to them, “You are the ones who justify themselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts! For what is considered exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 “The law and the prophets were until John; from that time on the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently pressed[a] into it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the law to become invalid.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:16 The verb is translated here as a passive; some English versions translate the verb as active (“forces their way into it”)