Matthew 23
English Standard Version
Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees
23 Then Jesus (A)said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 (B)“The scribes and the Pharisees (C)sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, (D)but not the works they do. (E)For they preach, but do not practice. 4 (F)They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,[a] and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 (G)They do all their deeds (H)to be seen by others. For they make (I)their phylacteries broad and (J)their fringes long, 6 and they (K)love the place of honor at feasts and (L)the best seats in the synagogues 7 and (M)greetings in (N)the marketplaces and being called (O)rabbi[b] by others. 8 (P)But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are (Q)all brothers.[c] 9 (R)And call no man your father on earth, for (S)you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, (T)the Christ. 11 (U)The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 (V)Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “But woe (W)to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you (X)shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you (Y)neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.[d] 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single (Z)proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a (AA)child of (AB)hell[e] as yourselves.
16 “Woe to (AC)you, (AD)blind guides, who say, (AE)‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or (AF)the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by (AG)the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or (AH)the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by (AI)him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by (AJ)heaven swears by (AK)the throne of God and by (AL)him who sits upon it.
23 (AM)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (AN)you tithe mint and dill and (AO)cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: (AP)justice and mercy and faithfulness. (AQ)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing (AR)a camel!
25 (AS)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (AT)you clean the outside of (AU)the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of (AV)greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of (AW)the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
27 (AX)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like (AY)whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and (AZ)all uncleanness. 28 So you also (BA)outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of (BB)hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 (BC)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are (BD)sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 (BE)Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, (BF)you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to (BG)hell? 34 (BH)Therefore (BI)I send you (BJ)prophets and wise men and (BK)scribes, (BL)some of whom you will kill and crucify, and (BM)some you will (BN)flog in your synagogues and (BO)persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all (BP)the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (BQ)Abel to the blood of (BR)Zechariah the son of Barachiah,[f] whom you murdered between (BS)the sanctuary and (BT)the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, (BU)all these things will come upon this generation.
Lament over Jerusalem
37 (BV)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that (BW)kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have (BX)gathered (BY)your children together (BZ)as a hen gathers her brood (CA)under her wings, and (CB)you were not willing! 38 See, (CC)your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, (CD)‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:4 Some manuscripts omit hard to bear
- Matthew 23:7 Rabbi means my teacher, or my master; also verse 8
- Matthew 23:8 Or brothers and sisters
- Matthew 23:13 Some manuscripts add here (or after verse 12) verse 14: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation
- Matthew 23:15 Greek Gehenna; also verse 33
- Matthew 23:35 Some manuscripts omit the son of Barachiah
Matthew 23
New American Standard Bible
Hypocrisy Exposed
23 (A)Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “(B)The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and [a]comply with it all, but do not do [b]as they do; for they say things and do not do them. 4 And (C)they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger. 5 And they do all their deeds (D)to be noticed by other people; for they (E)broaden their [c]phylacteries and lengthen (F)the tassels of their garments. 6 And they (G)love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues, 7 and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called [d](H)Rabbi by the people. 8 But as for you, (I)do not be called [e](J)Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only (K)One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called [f]leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11 (L)But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 12 (M)Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Eight Woes
13 “(N)But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, (O)because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.[g]
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one [h](P)proselyte; and when he becomes one, you [i]make him twice as much a son of [j](Q)hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, (R)blind guides, who say, ‘(S)Whoever swears by the [k]temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the [l]temple is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! (T)Which is [m]more important, the gold or the [n]temple that sanctified the gold? 18 And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the [o]offering that is on it is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, (U)which is [p]more important, the [q]offering or the altar that sanctifies the [r]offering? 20 Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by [s]the altar and by everything on it. 21 And the one who swears by the [t]temple, swears both by [u]the temple and by Him who (V)dwells in it. 22 And the one who swears by [v]heaven, (W)swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23 “(X)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and [w]cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You (Y)blind guides, who [x]strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For (Z)you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full [y]of robbery and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee, first (AA)clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the [z]outside of it may also become clean.
27 “(AB)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “(AC)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves, that you (AD)are [aa]sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 [ab]Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33 You snakes, (AE)you [ac]offspring of vipers, how [ad]will you escape the [ae]sentence of [af](AF)hell?
34 “(AG)Therefore, behold, (AH)I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will (AI)flog in your synagogues, and (AJ)persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (AK)Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the (AL)son of Berechiah, whom (AM)you murdered between the [ag]temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon (AN)this generation.
Grieving over Jerusalem
37 “(AO)Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who (AP)kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, (AQ)the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, (AR)your house is being left to you desolate! 39 For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘(AS)Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:3 Lit keep all
- Matthew 23:3 Lit according to their deeds
- Matthew 23:5 I.e., small pouches containing Scripture texts, worn on the left forearm and forehead for religious purposes
- Matthew 23:7 In Heb “My Teacher” or “My Master”
- Matthew 23:8 In Heb “My Teacher” or “My Master”
- Matthew 23:10 Or teachers
- Matthew 23:13 Late mss add (traditionally v 14): Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses even while for appearances’ sake you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation (as v 14); cf. Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47
- Matthew 23:15 Or convert
- Matthew 23:15 I.e., doom him to hell
- Matthew 23:15 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 23:16 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:16 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:17 Lit greater
- Matthew 23:17 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:18 Or gift
- Matthew 23:19 Lit greater
- Matthew 23:19 Or gift
- Matthew 23:19 Or gift
- Matthew 23:20 Lit it
- Matthew 23:21 Or sanctuary
- Matthew 23:21 Lit it
- Matthew 23:22 I.e., an indirect reference to God
- Matthew 23:23 Similar to caraway seeds
- Matthew 23:24 Or filter out
- Matthew 23:25 Or as a result of
- Matthew 23:26 If the inside was ritually unclean, the entire vessel was unclean whether the outside was cleaned or not (cf. Num 19:15)
- Matthew 23:31 Or descendants
- Matthew 23:32 I.e., finish what they started
- Matthew 23:33 Or brood
- Matthew 23:33 Lit are you to escape
- Matthew 23:33 Or judgment
- Matthew 23:33 Gr Gehenna
- Matthew 23:35 Or sanctuary
Matthew 23
King James Version
23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
馬 太 福 音 23
Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version
耶稣谴责宗教首领
23 耶稣对 人们和门徒们说： 2 “律法师和法利赛人有向你们解释摩西律法的权力。 3 你们要遵守他们的教导，并按此去做，但他们的生活没有给你们树立起一个好榜样，他们只说不做。 4 他们制定了一些严厉的规矩，企图强制让人们去遵守。这些规矩犹如难以承受的沉重负担，而这些首领们却不肯减轻其负担。
5 “他们做善事是做给别人看的，他们为了炫耀自己的虔诚，加大《经》匣的尺寸 [a]，加长袍裾。 6 他们喜欢在宴席上坐首位，在会堂里坐高位， 7 他们喜欢在集市上受人毕恭毕敬地问候，喜欢人们称他们‘先生’。
8 “但是你们不要让人们称你们为‘先生’，因为你们只有一位‘先生’，你们大家都是兄弟姐妹。 9 不要称人间的任何人为‘父’，因为你们只有一位‘父’，他在天堂。 10 也不要让众人称你们‘主人’，因为你们只有一位主人，那就是基督。 11 你们中间最伟大的人应该是你们的奴仆。 12 自高自大的人必降为卑贱，自谦自卑的人必升为高贵。
13 “伪善的律法师和法利赛人，你们要遭殃了！你们对人们关闭了通往天国的大门，你们自己不进天国，也不许努力争取的人进入天国。 14 [b]
15 “伪善的律法师和法利赛人，你们要遭殃了！你们为了说服一个人入教，甚至不惜跋山涉水。当这个人皈依了你们，你们却把他变得比你们还坏。
16 “你们这些瞎眼的向导，你们要遭殃了！你们说∶‘如果有人对大殿起誓，他不必信守誓言；但是如果有人对大殿里的金子发誓，他就必须信守誓言。’ 17 你们这些瞎眼愚蠢的人们！金子与使金子神圣的大殿相比，哪个更重要呢？ 18 你们还说∶‘如果有人对圣坛发誓，他不必信守誓言；但是如果有人对祭坛上的供品发誓，他就必须信守誓言。’ 19 你们这些瞎子！你们真是无知！贡品与使贡品神圣的祭坛相比，哪个更重要呢？ 20 如果一个人对圣坛起誓，就是对祭坛和祭坛上的一切起誓； 21 如果一个人对大殿起誓，就是对大殿和大殿里的一切起誓； 22 如果一个人对天起誓，他就是对上帝的宝座和坐在上面的上帝起誓。
23 “伪善的律法师和法利赛人，你们要遭殃了！你们拿出十分之一食物来献给上帝，甚至献出薄荷、莳萝、茴香，可是你们却不遵守律法中重要的教导：公平、怜悯、忠实。这些是你们应该遵守的事，同时也不能忽视其它的事。 24 你们这些瞎眼的向导，落进饮料杯里的小飞虫你们一定要挑出来，可是一头骆驼你们反倒要吞下去！你们正是如此。 [c]
25 “伪善的律法师和法利赛人，你们要遭殃了！你们把杯盘外面洗得干干净净，但内在却盛满了欺诈和放荡。 26 你们这些瞎眼的法利赛人，应该首先把杯子里面洗干净，这样杯子外面才能干净。
27 “伪善的律法师和法利赛人，你们要遭殃的！你们就像经过粉饰的坟墓 [d]，外面看上去漂漂亮亮，里面却充满了死人的骨头和各种污秽。 28 同样，你们外表看上去公正廉洁，内心却充满伪善和罪恶。
29 “伪善的律法师和法利赛人，你们要遭殃了！你们为先知建造墓穴，为虔诚的人修葺墓地，向他们表示你们的敬意。 30 你们说∶‘如果我们生活在我们祖先的时代，我们绝不会帮助他们杀害先知。’ 31 而这恰恰证明了你们是杀害先知的人的后代。 32 去吧，尽管去完成你们祖先开始的罪恶吧。
33 “你们这些毒蛇的后代！你们怎么能逃过地狱的惩罚？ 34 我告诉你们，我要派先知、智慧之人和律法学者到你们这里来。你们会杀了他们当中的一些人，把他们钉死在十字架上；你们会在会堂里鞭打他们中的另外一些人，把他们从一个城镇赶到另一个城镇。 35 结果，一切杀害无辜者的罪名都会落在你们头上，从杀害无辜的亚伯，一直到在大殿和祭坛之间杀害巴拉加之子撒迦利亚 [e]。 36 我实话告诉你们吧，对这一切的惩罚都将落在你们这一代人身上。
耶稣警告耶路撒冷的人
37 “耶路撒冷，耶路撒冷！你杀害先知，你用石头砸死上帝派来的使者。很多次，我渴望召集起你的儿女，就像母鸡把小鸡拢在它的翅膀下，可是你们就是不愿意！ 38 看哪，你们的家园将一片荒凉，空无一人。 39 我告诉你们：你们再也见不到我了，直到你们说∶‘欢迎你！愿上帝祝福那位以主的名义来的人。’” [f]
Footnotes
- 馬 太 福 音 23:5 经匣： 小皮匣，内装四部重要经书。一些犹太人佩带在额部或左臂，以示他们非常虔诚。
- 馬 太 福 音 23:14 某些希腊文本在14节加下列句子： “伪善的律法师和法利赛人，你们炫耀自己，你们要遭殃的！你们侵吞了寡妇的房产，并做长篇的祈祷，好让人们看到，为此，你们将受到更惨的惩罚.”《马可福音》12:40，《路加福音》20:47。
- 馬 太 福 音 23:24 你们正是如此： 你们在意很小的错误，却犯最大的罪。
- 馬 太 福 音 23:27 意为你们为最微小的错误担忧，但是却犯最大的罪。
- 馬 太 福 音 23:35 亚伯和撒迦利亚： 在希伯来语旧约中遭到凶杀的第一个和最后的人。
- 馬 太 福 音 23:39 引自旧约《诗篇》118:26。
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