Matthew 23
Christian Standard Bible
Religious Hypocrites Denounced
23 Then(A) Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples:(B) 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.(C) 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.(D) 4 They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry[a] and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them.(E) 5 They do everything[b] to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries(F) and lengthen their tassels.[c](G) 6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues,(H) 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher,[d] and you are all brothers and sisters.(I) 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.(J) 10 You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(K) 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.(L)
13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.[e](M)
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert,(N) and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!
16 “Woe to you, blind guides,(O) who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath(P) by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’[f] 17 Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? 18 Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’ 19 Blind people![g] For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?(Q) 20 Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. 21 The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells(R) in it. 22 And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne(S) and by him who sits on it.(T)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of[h] mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice,(U) mercy, and faithfulness.[i] These things should have been done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides!(V) You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed[j] and self-indulgence.(W) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,[k] so that the outside of it[l] may also become clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,(X) which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors’ sins!(Y)
33 “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?[m](Z) 34 This is why I am sending you prophets,(AA) sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues(AB) and pursue from town to town. 35 So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you,[n] from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,(AC) son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.(AD) 36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.(AE)
Jesus’s Lamenting over Jerusalem
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem,(AF) who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks[o] under her wings, but you were not willing!(AG) 38 See, your house is left to you desolate.(AH) 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”[p](AI)
Footnotes
- 23:4 Other mss omit that are hard to carry
- 23:5 Lit do all their works
- 23:5 Other mss add on their robes
- 23:8 Other mss add the Christ
- 23:13 Some mss include v. 14: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show. This is why you will receive a harsher punishment.
- 23:16 Lit is obligated, also in v. 18
- 23:19 Other mss read Fools and blind
- 23:23 Or You tithe
- 23:23 Or faith
- 23:25 Or full of violence
- 23:26 Other mss add and dish
- 23:26 Other mss read of them
- 23:33 Lit escape from the judgment of gehenna
- 23:35 Lit will come on you
- 23:37 Or as a mother bird gathers her young
- 23:39 Ps 118:26
Matthew 23
International Standard Version
Jesus Denounces the Scribes and the Pharisees(A)
23 Then Jesus told the crowds and his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees administer the authority of Moses,[a] 3 so do whatever they tell you and follow it, but stop doing what they do, because they don’t do what they say. 4 They tie up burdens that are heavy and unbearable and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they refuse to lift a finger to remove them.
5 “They do everything to be seen by people. They increase the size of their phylacteries[b] and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 They love to have the places of honor at festivals, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 to be greeted in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’[c] by people.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’[d] because you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers. 9 And don’t call anyone on earth ‘Father,’ because you have only one Father, the one in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘Teachers,’ because you have only one teacher, the Messiah![e] 11 The person who is greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom from[f] heaven in people’s faces. You don’t go in yourselves, and you don’t allow those who are trying to enter to go in.
14 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and say long prayers to cover it up. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation![g]
15 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make a single convert, and when this happens you make him twice as fit for[h] hell[i] as you are.
16 “How terrible it will be for you, blind guides! You say, ‘Whoever swears an oath by the sanctuary is excused,[j] but whoever swears an oath by the gold of the sanctuary must keep his oath.’[k] 17 You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the sanctuary that made the gold holy? 18 Again you say,[l] ‘Whoever swears an oath by the altar is excused,[m] but whoever swears by the gift that is on it must keep his oath.’[n] 19 You blind men![o] Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 Therefore, the one who swears an oath by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 The one who swears an oath by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who lives there. 22 And the one who swears an oath by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cummin, but have neglected the more important matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.[p] These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You filter out a gnat, yet swallow a camel!
25 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but on the inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,[q] so that its outside may also be clean.
27 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our ancestors, we would have had no part with them in shedding[r] the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Therefore, you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Then finish what your ancestors started![s] 33 You snakes, you children of serpents! How can you escape being condemned to hell?[t]
34 “That is why I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. 35 As a result, you will be held accountable for[u] all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel[v] to the blood of Berechiah’s son Zechariah,[w] whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 I tell all of you[x] with certainty, all these things will happen to those living today.”[y]
Jesus Rebukes Jerusalem(B)
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones to death those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38 Look! Your house is left abandoned! 39 I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘How blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”[z]
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:2 Lit. Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat
- Matthew 23:5 I.e. leather cases containing Scripture texts
- Matthew 23:7 Rabbi is Heb. for Master and/or Teacher.
- Matthew 23:8 Rabbi is Heb. for Master and/or Teacher
- Matthew 23:10 Or Christ
- Matthew 23:13 Lit. of
- Matthew 23:14 Other mss. omit vs. 14.
- Matthew 23:15 Lit. twice as much a son of
- Matthew 23:15 Lit. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom
- Matthew 23:16 Lit. is nothing
- Matthew 23:16 Lit. owes a debt
- Matthew 23:18 Lit. And
- Matthew 23:18 Lit. is nothing
- Matthew 23:18 Lit. owes a debt
- Matthew 23:19 Other mss. read blind and foolish men
- Matthew 23:23 Or faith
- Matthew 23:26 Other mss. read of the cup and the plate
- Matthew 23:30 The Gk. lacks shedding
- Matthew 23:32 Lit. Fill up the measure of your ancestors
- Matthew 23:33 Lit. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom
- Matthew 23:35 Lit. on you will come
- Matthew 23:35 Cf. Gen 4:8
- Matthew 23:35 Cf. 2Chr 24:20-21
- Matthew 23:36 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
- Matthew 23:36 Lit. to this generation
- Matthew 23:39 Cf. Ps 118:26; MT source citation reads Lord
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