Matthew 22:34-23:12
New American Standard Bible
34 (A)But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced (B)the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, [a](C)a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him: 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘(D)You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and [b]foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘(E)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 (F)Upon these two commandments [c]hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”
41 (G)Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the [d]Christ? Whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “(H)The son of David.” 43 He *said to them, “Then [e]how does David [f](I)in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
44 ‘(J)The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I put Your enemies under Your feet”’?
45 Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ [g]how is He his son?” 46 (K)No one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.
Hypocrisy Exposed
23 (L)Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “(M)The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and [h]comply with it all, but do not do [i]as they do; for they say things and do not do them. 4 And (N)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 (O)to be noticed by other people; for they (P)broaden their [j]phylacteries and lengthen (Q)the tassels of their garments. 6 And they (R)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 [k](S)Rabbi by the people. 8 But as for you, (T)do not be called [l](U)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 (V)One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called [m]leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11 (W)But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 12 (X)Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
Footnotes
- Matthew 22:35 I.e., an expert in the Mosaic Law
- Matthew 22:38 Or first
- Matthew 22:40 I.e., completely depend
- Matthew 22:42 I.e., Messiah
- Matthew 22:43 Or in what sense does
- Matthew 22:43 I.e., by inspiration
- Matthew 22:45 Or in what sense is
- 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 22:34-23:12
New Living Translation
The Most Important Commandment
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Whose Son Is the Messiah?
41 Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”
They replied, “He is the son of David.”
43 Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,
44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’[c]
45 Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”
46 No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders
23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.[d] 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
5 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.[e] 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’[f]
8 “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.[g] 9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. 10 And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
