Font Size
Mark 12:38-40
Easy-to-Read Version
Mark 12:38-40
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus Criticizes the Teachers of the Law(A)
38 Jesus continued teaching. He said, “Be careful of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing clothes that look important. And they love for people to show respect to them in the marketplaces. 39 They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 But they cheat widows and take their homes. Then they try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. God will punish them very much.”
Read full chapter
Mark 12:38-40
New International Version
Mark 12:38-40
New International Version
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.(A) 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Luke 11:37-52
Easy-to-Read Version
Luke 11:37-52
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders(A)
37 After Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee asked Jesus to eat with him. So he went and took a place at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he saw that Jesus did not wash his hands[a] first before the meal. 39 The Lord said to him, “The washing you Pharisees do is like cleaning only the outside of a cup or a dish. But what is inside you? You want only to cheat and hurt people. 40 You are foolish! The same one who made what is outside also made what is inside. 41 So pay attention to what is inside. Give to the people who need help. Then you will be fully clean.
42 “But it will be bad for you Pharisees! You give God a tenth of the food you get, even your mint, your rue, and every other little plant in your garden.[b] But you forget to be fair to others and to love God. These are the things you should do. And you should also continue to do those other things.
43 “It will be bad for you Pharisees because you love to have the most important seats in the synagogues. And you love for people to show respect to you in the marketplaces. 44 It will be bad for you, because you are like hidden graves. People walk on them without knowing it.”
45 One of the experts in the law said to Jesus, “Teacher, when you say these things about the Pharisees, you are criticizing our group too.”
46 Jesus answered, “It will be bad for you, you experts in the law! You make strict rules that are very hard for people to obey.[c] You try to force others to obey your rules. But you yourselves don’t even try to follow any of those rules. 47 It will be bad for you, because you build tombs for the prophets. But these are the same prophets your ancestors killed! 48 And now you show all people that you agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you build tombs for the prophets! 49 This is why God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send prophets and apostles[d] to them. Some of my prophets and apostles will be killed by evil men. Others will be treated badly.’
50 “So you people who live now will be punished for the deaths of all the prophets who were killed since the beginning of the world. 51 You will be punished for the killing of Abel.[e] And you will be punished for the killing of Zechariah,[f] who was killed between the altar and the Temple. Yes, I tell you that you people will be punished for them all.
52 “It will be bad for you, you experts in the law! You have taken away the key to learning about God. You yourselves would not learn, and you stopped others from learning too.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 11:38 wash his hands Washing the hands was a Jewish religious custom that the Pharisees thought was very important.
- Luke 11:42 You give … garden Literally, “You tithe mint, rue, and every herb.” The Law of Moses required Israelites to share their food supply by dedicating a tenth of their field crops and livestock to God (see Lev. 27:30-32; Deut. 26:12). This did not include such small garden plants as those mentioned here. So these Pharisees were giving more than required to be sure they were not breaking the Law.
- Luke 11:46 You make … obey Literally, “You put heavy burdens on people that are hard for them to carry.”
- Luke 11:49 prophets and apostles People chosen by God to tell his Good News to the world.
- Luke 11:51 Abel In the Hebrew Old Testament, the first person to be murdered.
- Luke 11:51 Zechariah In the Hebrew Old Testament, the last person to be murdered.
Luke 11:37-52
New International Version
Luke 11:37-52
New International Version
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.(A) 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.(B)
39 Then the Lord(C) said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.(D) 40 You foolish people!(E) 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,(F) and everything will be clean for you.(G)
42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth(H) of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.(I) You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.(J)
43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.(K)
44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves,(L) which people walk over without knowing it.”
45 One of the experts in the law(M) 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.(N)
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.(O) 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom(P) said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’(Q) 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(R) to the blood of Zechariah,(S) who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.(T)
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.”(U)
Luke 20:45-47
Easy-to-Read Version
Luke 20:45-47
Easy-to-Read Version
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law(A)
45 While all the people were listening to Jesus, he said to his followers, 46 “Be careful of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing clothes that look important. And they love for people to show respect to them in the marketplaces. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 But they cheat widows and take their homes. Then they try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. God will punish them very much.”
Read full chapter
Luke 20:45-47
New International Version
Luke 20:45-47
New International Version
Warning Against the Teachers of the Law
45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.(A) 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.