Matthew 23
New King James Version
Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees(A)
23 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: (B)“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you [a]to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for (C)they say, and do not do. 4 (D)For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, 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 to (E)be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 (F)They love the [b]best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 (G)But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your [c]Teacher, [d]the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; (H)for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But (I)he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 (J)And whoever exalts himself will be [e]humbled, and he who humbles himself will be [f]exalted.
13 “But (K)woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 [g]Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (L)For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of [h]hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, (M)blind guides, who say, (N)‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold (O)or the temple that [i]sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift (P)or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who [j]swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by (Q)Him who [k]dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by (R)the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (S)For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and (T)have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (U)For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and [l]self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (V)For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 (W)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and [m]adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’
31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that (X)you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 (Y)Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. 33 Serpents, (Z)brood[n] of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 (AA)Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: (AB)some of them you will kill and crucify, and (AC)some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 (AD)that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, (AE)from the blood of righteous Abel to (AF)the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem(AG)
37 (AH)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets (AI)and stones those who are sent to her! How often (AJ)I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks (AK)under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, (AL)‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:3 NU omits to observe
- Matthew 23:6 Or place of honor
- Matthew 23:8 Leader
- Matthew 23:8 NU omits the Christ
- Matthew 23:12 put down
- Matthew 23:12 lifted up
- Matthew 23:14 NU omits v. 14.
- Matthew 23:15 Gr. Gehenna
- Matthew 23:17 NU sanctified
- Matthew 23:20 Swears an oath
- Matthew 23:21 M dwelt
- Matthew 23:25 M unrighteousness
- Matthew 23:29 decorate
- Matthew 23:33 offspring
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.
Mateo 23
Nueva Biblia Viva
Jesús denuncia a los fariseos y a los maestros de la ley
23 Entonces Jesús, dirigiéndose al gentío y a sus discípulos, dijo:
2 «¡Cualquiera que ve a estos escribas y fariseos creando leyes se creerá que son “Moisés en persona”! 3 Claro, obedézcanlos. ¡Hagan lo que dicen, pero no se les ocurra hacer lo que ellos hacen! Porque ellos mismos no hacen lo que dicen que se debe hacer. 4 Recargan a la gente de mandamientos que ni ellos mismos intentan cumplir.
5 »¡Y luego se dedican a hacer obras de caridad para que los demás los vean! Para aparentar santidad, se ponen en la frente y en los brazos porciones de las Escrituras escritas en las tiras de pergamino o piel más anchas que puedan encontrar, y procuran que los flecos de sus mantos sean más largos que los de los demás. 6 ¡Ah, y les encanta ir a los banquetes y sentarse a las cabeceras de las mesas, e ir a la sinagoga y sentarse en las primeras sillas! 7 Y cuando andan por las calles, les gusta que les digan: “¡Rabí, rabí!”. 8 No dejen que nadie los llame así. Sólo el Cristo es Rabí[a] y todos los hombres están en el mismo nivel de hermanos. 9 Y no llamen a nadie en la tierra “padre”, porque el único digno de ese título es Dios, que está en los cielos. 10 No se dejen llamar “maestro”, porque sólo hay un Maestro: el Mesías. 11 Mientras más humildemente sirvamos a los demás, más grandes seremos. Para ser grande hay que servir a los demás, 12 pues los que se creen grandes serán humillados; y los que se humillan serán enaltecidos.
13 »¡Ay de ustedes, escribas y fariseos hipócritas, porque ni entran al reino de los cielos ni dejan entrar a nadie! 14 ¡Ay de ustedes, escribas y fariseos hipócritas, que por un lado hacen oraciones larguísimas en las calles y por el otro les roban las casas a las viudas! ¡Hipócritas! 15 ¡Ay de ustedes, hipócritas!, porque recorren el mundo en busca de conversos, y una vez que los encuentran los hacen dos veces más hijos del infierno que ustedes mismos. 16-17 ¡Guías ciegos, ay de ustedes!, porque dicen que no importa que se jure en vano por el templo de Dios, pero si alguien jura en vano por el oro del templo, lo condenan. ¡Ciegos insensatos! ¿Qué es más importante, el oro o el templo que santifica el oro? 18 Y dicen que se puede jurar en vano por el altar, pero si se jura en vano por lo que está sobre el altar, lo condenan. 19 ¡Ciegos! ¿Qué es más importante, la ofrenda que se pone sobre el altar o el altar que santifica la ofrenda? 20 El que jura por el altar está jurando también por lo que está sobre él; 21 y el que jura por el templo está jurando por el templo y por Dios que habita en él. 22 Y cuando se jura por el cielo se está jurando por el trono de Dios y por Dios mismo.
23 »¡Ay de ustedes, fariseos y escribas hipócritas! Porque diezman hasta la última hojilla de menta del jardín y se olvidan de lo más importante, que es hacer justicia y tener misericordia y fe. Sí, hay que diezmar, pero no se puede dejar a un lado lo que es aun más importante.
24 »¡Guías ciegos, que cuelan el mosquito y se tragan el camello! 25 ¡Ay de ustedes, escribas y fariseos hipócritas!, porque limpian cuidadosamente el exterior del vaso y dejan el interior lleno de robo e injusticia. 26 Fariseos ciegos, limpien primero el interior del vaso, para que esté limpio por dentro y por fuera. 27 ¡Ay de ustedes, escribas y fariseos hipócritas, pues son como sepulcros blanqueados: hermosos por fuera, pero dentro están llenos de huesos de muertos y podredumbre! 28 Así también son ustedes: por fuera se ven santos, pero bajo la apariencia de piedad hay un corazón manchado de hipocresía y pecado.
29 »¡Ay de ustedes, escribas y fariseos hipócritas!, porque levantan monumentos a los profetas que los padres de ustedes mataron, y adornan las tumbas de los justos que destruyeron, 30 y al hacerlo dicen: “¡Nosotros no los habríamos matado!”. 31 ¿No se dan cuenta de que se están tildando de hijos de asesinos? 32 ¡Acaben de imitarlos! ¡Pónganse a la altura de ellos! 33 ¡Serpientes, crías de víboras! ¿Cómo van a escapar de la condenación del infierno?
34 »Yo les enviaré profetas, hombres llenos del Espíritu y escritores inspirados, pero a algunos los crucificarán, a otros les destrozarán las espaldas a latigazos en las sinagogas, y a los demás los perseguirán de ciudad en ciudad. 35 Así caerá sobre ustedes la culpa de la sangre de los justos asesinados, desde Abel hasta Zacarías, el hijo de Berequías, que ustedes mataron entre el altar y el santuario. 36 ¡Los juicios acumulados a través de los siglos caerán sobre esta generación!
37 »¡Jerusalén, Jerusalén, que matas a los profetas y apedreas a los enviados de Dios! ¡Cuántas veces quise juntar a tus hijos como la gallina junta a sus polluelos debajo de sus alas, pero no quisiste! 38 De ahora en adelante tu casa quedará abandonada, 39 porque te aseguro que no me volverás a ver hasta que digas: “¡Bendito el que viene en el nombre del Señor!”».
Footnotes
- 23.8 Maestro.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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