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Matthew 23
New International Version
Matthew 23
New International Version
A Warning Against Hypocrisy(A)(B)
23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law(C) and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 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. 4 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)
5 “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; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(H) 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(I)
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 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)
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!(M) You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.(N) [14] [b]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert,(O) and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell(P) as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides!(Q) You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’(R) 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?(S) 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?(T) 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells(U) in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.(V)
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth(W) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.(X) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides!(Y) You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish,(Z) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.(AA) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,(AB) which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets(AC) and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.(AD) 32 Go ahead, then, and complete(AE) what your ancestors started!(AF)
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers!(AG) How will you escape being condemned to hell?(AH) 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;(AI) others you will flog in your synagogues(AJ) and pursue from town to town.(AK) 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel(AL) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,(AM) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.(AN) 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.(AO)
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,(AP) how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,(AQ) and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.(AR) 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.’[c]”(AS)
Footnotes
- Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm
- Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
- Matthew 23:39 Psalm 118:26
Matthew 23
King James Version
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.
Matthaeus 23
Luther Bibel 1545
Matthaeus 23
Luther Bibel 1545
23 Da redete Jesus zu dem Volk und zu seinen Jüngern
2 und sprach: Auf Mose's Stuhl sitzen die Schriftgelehrten und Pharisäer.
3 Alles nun, was sie euch sagen, daß ihr halten sollt, das haltet und tut's; aber nach ihren Werken sollt ihr nicht tun: sie sagen's wohl, und tun's nicht.
4 Sie binden aber schwere und unerträgliche Bürden und legen sie den Menschen auf den Hals; aber sie selbst wollen dieselben nicht mit einem Finger regen.
5 Alle ihre Werke aber tun sie, daß sie von den Leuten gesehen werden. Sie machen ihre Denkzettel breit und die Säume an ihren Kleidern groß.
6 Sie sitzen gern obenan über Tisch und in den Schulen
7 und haben's gern, daß sie gegrüßt werden auf dem Markt und von den Menschen Rabbi genannt werden.
8 Aber ihr sollt euch nicht Rabbi nennen lassen; denn einer ist euer Meister, Christus; ihr aber seid alle Brüder.
9 Und sollt niemand Vater heißen auf Erden, denn einer ist euer Vater, der im Himmel ist.
10 Und ihr sollt euch nicht lassen Meister nennen; denn einer ist euer Meister, Christus.
11 Der Größte unter euch soll euer Diener sein.
12 Denn wer sich selbst erhöht, der wird erniedrigt; und wer sich selbst erniedrigt, der wird erhöht.
13 Weh euch, Schriftgelehrte und Pharisäer, ihr Heuchler, die ihr das Himmelreich zuschließet vor den Menschen! Ihr kommt nicht hinein, und die hinein wollen, laßt ihr nicht hineingehen.
14 Weh euch, Schriftgelehrte und Pharisäer, ihr Heuchler, die ihr der Witwen Häuser fresset und wendet lange Gebete vor! Darum werdet ihr desto mehr Verdammnis empfangen.
15 Weh euch, Schriftgelehrte und Pharisäer, ihr Heuchler, die ihr Land und Wasser umziehet, daß ihr einen Judengenossen macht; und wenn er's geworden ist, macht ihr aus ihm ein Kind der Hölle, zwiefältig mehr denn ihr seid!
16 Weh euch, verblendete Leiter, die ihr sagt: "Wer da schwört bei dem Tempel, das ist nichts; wer aber schwört bei dem Gold am Tempel, der ist's schuldig."
17 Ihr Narren und Blinden! Was ist größer: das Gold oder der Tempel, der das Gold heiligt?
18 "Wer da schwört bei dem Altar, das ist nichts; wer aber schwört bei dem Opfer, das darauf ist, der ist's schuldig."
19 Ihr Narren und Blinden! Was ist größer: das Opfer oder der Altar, der das Opfer heiligt?
20 Darum, wer da schwört bei dem Altar, der schwört bei demselben und bei allem, was darauf ist.
21 Und wer da schwört bei dem Tempel, der schwört bei demselben und bei dem, der darin wohnt.
22 Und wer da schwört bei dem Himmel, der schwört bei dem Stuhl Gottes und bei dem, der darauf sitzt.
23 Weh euch, Schriftgelehrte und Pharisäer, ihr Heuchler, die ihr verzehntet die Minze, Dill und Kümmel, und laßt dahinten das Schwerste im Gesetz, nämlich das Gericht, die Barmherzigkeit und den Glauben! Dies soll man tun und jenes nicht lassen.
24 Ihr verblendeten Leiter, die ihr Mücken seihet und Kamele verschluckt!
25 Weh euch, Schriftgelehrte und Pharisäer, ihr Heuchler, die ihr die Becher und Schüsseln auswendig reinlich haltet, inwendig aber ist's voll Raubes und Fraßes!
26 Du blinder Pharisäer, reinige zum ersten das Inwendige an Becher und Schüssel, auf das auch das Auswendige rein werde!
27 Weh euch, Schriftgelehrte und Pharisäer, ihr Heuchler, die ihr gleich seid wie die übertünchten Gräber, welche auswendig hübsch scheinen, aber inwendig sind sie voller Totengebeine und alles Unflats!
28 Also auch ihr: von außen scheint ihr den Menschen fromm, aber in wendig seid ihr voller Heuchelei und Untugend.
29 Weh euch, Schriftgelehrte und Pharisäer, ihr Heuchler, die ihr der Propheten Gräber bauet und schmücket der Gerechten Gräber
30 und sprecht: Wären wir zu unsrer Väter Zeiten gewesen, so wollten wir nicht teilhaftig sein mit ihnen an der Propheten Blut!
31 So gebt ihr über euch selbst Zeugnis, daß ihr Kinder seid derer, die die Propheten getötet haben.
32 Wohlan, erfüllet auch ihr das Maß eurer Väter!
33 Ihr Schlangen und Otterngezücht! wie wollt ihr der höllischen Verdammnis entrinnen?
34 Darum siehe, ich sende zu euch Propheten und Weise und Schriftgelehrte; und deren werdet ihr etliche töten und kreuzigen, und etliche werdet ihr geißeln in ihren Schulen und werdet sie verfolgen von einer Stadt zu der anderen;
35 auf daß über euch komme all das gerechte Blut, das vergossen ist auf Erden, von dem Blut des gerechten Abel an bis auf das Blut des Zacharias, des Sohnes Berechja's, welchen ihr getötet habt zwischen dem Tempel und dem Altar.
36 Wahrlich ich sage euch, daß solches alles wird über dies Geschlecht kommen.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, die du tötest die Propheten und steinigst, die zu dir gesandt sind! wie oft habe ich deine Kinder versammeln wollen, wie eine Henne versammelt ihre Küchlein unter ihre Flügel; und ihr habt nicht gewollt!
38 Siehe, euer Haus soll euch wüst gelassen werden.
39 Denn ich sage euch: Ihr werdet mich von jetzt an nicht sehen, bis ihr sprecht: Gelobt sei, der da kommt im Namen des HERRN!
Matthew 23
New King James Version
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
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Luther Bibel 1545 (LUTH1545)
Copyright © 1545 by Public Domain
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.