Matthew 23:1-12

Expanded Bible

Jesus Accuses Some Leaders^(A)

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his ·followers [disciples], ² “The ·teachers of the law [scribes] and the Pharisees ·have the authority to interpret what the law of Moses says [^Lsit in Moses’ seat/chair]. ³ So you should ·obey [do; practice] and ·follow [keep; observe] whatever they tell you, but ·their lives are not good examples for you to follow [^Ldo not follow their actions]. ·They tell you to do things, but they themselves don’t do them [^LFor they say but do not do]. ⁴ They ·make strict rules [^Ltie up heavy loads/burdens that are hard to carry] and ·try to force people to obey them [^Lput them on people’s shoulders], but they are unwilling to ·help those who struggle under the weight of their rules [lift a finger to move them; ^Lmove them with their finger].

⁵ “They do good things so that other people will see them. They enlarge ·the little boxes holding Scriptures that they wear [^Ltheir phylacteries; ^Cleather cases worn on the left arm and forehead to literally fulfill Deut. 6:8; 11:18], and they ·make their special prayer clothes very long [^Llengthen their tassels; ^CJewish males were to wear tassels on the four corners of their garment; Num. 15:38; Deut. 22:12]. ⁶ Those Pharisees and teachers of the law love to have the ·most important seats [places of greatest honor] at ·feasts [banquets] and [^Lthe best seats] in the synagogues. ⁷ They love people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces, and they love to have people call them ·‘Teacher [^LRabbi].’

⁸ “But you must not be called ‘·Teacher [Rabbi],’ because you have only one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters together. ⁹ And don’t call any person on earth ‘Father,’ because you have one Father, who is in heaven. ¹⁰ And you should not be called ‘·Master [Leader; Teacher; Instructor]’ because you have only one ·Master [Leader; Teacher; Instructor], the ·Christ [Messiah]. ¹¹ ·Whoever is your servant is the greatest among you [^LThe greatest among you will be your servant]. ¹² Whoever ·makes himself great [lifts up/exalts himself] will be made humble. Whoever makes himself humble will be ·made great [exalted; lifted up].