A Warning Against Hypocrisy(A)(B)

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law(C) and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.(D)

“Everything they do is done for people to see:(E) They make their phylacteries[a](F) wide and the tassels on their garments(G) long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(H) they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(I)

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father,(J) and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(K) 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm

23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

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.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

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.

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41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,(A) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.(B)

Balaam’s First Message

23 Balaam said, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams(C) for me.” Balak did as Balaam said, and the two of them offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(D)

Then Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I go aside. Perhaps the Lord will come to meet with me.(E) Whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went off to a barren height.

God met with him,(F) and Balaam said, “I have prepared seven altars, and on each altar I have offered a bull and a ram.”

The Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth(G) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”(H)

So he went back to him and found him standing beside his offering, with all the Moabite officials.(I) Then Balaam(J) spoke his message:(K)

“Balak brought me from Aram,(L)
    the king of Moab from the eastern mountains.(M)
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me;
    come, denounce Israel.’(N)
How can I curse
    those whom God has not cursed?(O)
How can I denounce
    those whom the Lord has not denounced?(P)
From the rocky peaks I see them,
    from the heights I view them.(Q)
I see a people who live apart
    and do not consider themselves one of the nations.(R)
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob(S)
    or number even a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of the righteous,(T)
    and may my final end be like theirs!(U)

11 Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies,(V) but you have done nothing but bless them!”(W)

12 He answered, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”(X)

Balaam’s Second Message

13 Then Balak said to him, “Come with me to another place(Y) where you can see them; you will not see them all but only the outskirts of their camp.(Z) And from there, curse them for me.(AA) 14 So he took him to the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah,(AB) and there he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.(AC)

15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your offering while I meet with him over there.”

16 The Lord met with Balaam and put a word in his mouth(AD) and said, “Go back to Balak and give him this word.”

17 So he went to him and found him standing beside his offering, with the Moabite officials.(AE) Balak asked him, “What did the Lord say?”

18 Then he spoke his message:(AF)

“Arise, Balak, and listen;
    hear me, son of Zippor.(AG)
19 God is not human,(AH) that he should lie,(AI)
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.(AJ)
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise(AK) and not fulfill?
20 I have received a command to bless;(AL)
    he has blessed,(AM) and I cannot change it.(AN)

21 “No misfortune is seen in Jacob,(AO)
    no misery observed[a] in Israel.(AP)
The Lord their God is with them;(AQ)
    the shout of the King(AR) is among them.
22 God brought them out of Egypt;(AS)
    they have the strength of a wild ox.(AT)
23 There is no divination against[b] Jacob,
    no evil omens(AU) against[c] Israel.
It will now be said of Jacob
    and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’
24 The people rise like a lioness;(AV)
    they rouse themselves like a lion(AW)
that does not rest till it devours its prey
    and drinks the blood(AX) of its victims.”

25 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

26 Balaam answered, “Did I not tell you I must do whatever the Lord says?”(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 23:21 Or He has not looked on Jacob’s offenses / or on the wrongs found
  2. Numbers 23:23 Or in
  3. Numbers 23:23 Or in

41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.

23 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.

And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the Lord will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.

And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

And the Lord put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?

For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!

11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.

12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?

13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.

14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder.

16 And the Lord met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken?

18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?

Who is this coming up from the wilderness(A)
    like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh(B) and incense
    made from all the spices(C) of the merchant?
Look! It is Solomon’s carriage,
    escorted by sixty warriors,(D)
    the noblest of Israel,
all of them wearing the sword,
    all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
    prepared for the terrors of the night.(E)
King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
    he made it of wood from Lebanon.
10 Its posts he made of silver,
    its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
    its interior inlaid with love.
Daughters of Jerusalem, 11 come out,
    and look, you daughters of Zion.(F)
Look[a] on King Solomon wearing a crown,
    the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
    the day his heart rejoiced.(G)

He

How beautiful you are, my darling!
    Oh, how beautiful!
    Your eyes behind your veil(H) are doves.(I)
Your hair is like a flock of goats
    descending from the hills of Gilead.(J)
Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn,
    coming up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
    not one of them is alone.(K)
Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon;
    your mouth(L) is lovely.(M)
Your temples behind your veil
    are like the halves of a pomegranate.(N)
Your neck is like the tower(O) of David,
    built with courses of stone[b];
on it hang a thousand shields,(P)
    all of them shields of warriors.
Your breasts(Q) are like two fawns,
    like twin fawns of a gazelle(R)
    that browse among the lilies.(S)
Until the day breaks
    and the shadows flee,(T)
I will go to the mountain of myrrh(U)
    and to the hill of incense.
You are altogether beautiful,(V) my darling;
    there is no flaw(W) in you.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride,(X)
    come with me from Lebanon.
Descend from the crest of Amana,
    from the top of Senir,(Y) the summit of Hermon,(Z)
from the lions’ dens
    and the mountain haunts of leopards.
You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;(AA)
    you have stolen my heart
with one glance of your eyes,
    with one jewel of your necklace.(AB)
10 How delightful(AC) is your love(AD), my sister, my bride!
    How much more pleasing is your love than wine,(AE)
and the fragrance of your perfume(AF)
    more than any spice!
11 Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride;
    milk and honey are under your tongue.(AG)
The fragrance of your garments
    is like the fragrance of Lebanon.(AH)
12 You are a garden(AI) locked up, my sister, my bride;(AJ)
    you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.(AK)
13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates(AL)
    with choice fruits,
    with henna(AM) and nard,
14     nard and saffron,
    calamus and cinnamon,(AN)
    with every kind of incense tree,
    with myrrh(AO) and aloes(AP)
    and all the finest spices.(AQ)
15 You are[c] a garden(AR) fountain,(AS)
    a well of flowing water
    streaming down from Lebanon.

She

16 Awake, north wind,
    and come, south wind!
Blow on my garden,(AT)
    that its fragrance(AU) may spread everywhere.
Let my beloved(AV) come into his garden
    and taste its choice fruits.(AW)

He

I have come into my garden,(AX) my sister, my bride;(AY)
    I have gathered my myrrh with my spice.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
    I have drunk my wine and my milk.(AZ)

Friends

Eat, friends, and drink;
    drink your fill of love.

Footnotes

  1. Song of Songs 3:11 Or interior lovingly inlaid / by the daughters of Jerusalem. / 11 Come out, you daughters of Zion, / and look
  2. Song of Songs 4:4 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  3. Song of Songs 4:15 Or I am (spoken by She)

Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.

Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.

Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!

11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices:

15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.