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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

  1. Matthew 23:3 NU omits to observe
  2. Matthew 23:6 Or place of honor
  3. Matthew 23:8 Leader
  4. Matthew 23:8 NU omits the Christ
  5. Matthew 23:12 put down
  6. Matthew 23:12 lifted up
  7. Matthew 23:14 NU omits v. 14.
  8. Matthew 23:15 Gr. Gehenna
  9. Matthew 23:17 NU sanctified
  10. Matthew 23:20 Swears an oath
  11. Matthew 23:21 M dwelt
  12. Matthew 23:25 M unrighteousness
  13. Matthew 23:29 decorate
  14. Matthew 23:33 offspring
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Matthew 23
Names of God Bible

Jesus Disapproves of the Example Set by the Jewish Leaders(A)

23 Then Yeshua said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The experts in Moses’ Teachings and the Pharisees teach with Moses’ authority. 3 So be careful to do everything they tell you. But don’t follow their example, because they don’t practice what they preach. 4 They make loads that are hard to carry and lay them on the shoulders of the people. However, they are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 “They do everything to attract people’s attention. They make their headbands large and the tassels on their shawls long. 6 They love the place of honor at dinners and the front seats in synagogues. 7 They love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have people call them Rabbi. 8 But don’t make others call you Rabbi, because you have only one teacher, and you are all followers. 9 And don’t call anyone on earth your father, because you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Don’t make others call you a leader, because you have only one leader, the Messiah. 11 The person who is greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever honors himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be honored.

The Hypocrisy of the Jewish Leaders

13 “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You don’t enter it yourselves, and you don’t permit others to enter when they try.[a]

15 “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You cross land and sea to recruit a single follower, and when you do, you make that person twice as fit for hell as you are.

16 “How horrible it will be for you, you blind guides! You say, ‘To swear an oath by the temple doesn’t mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gold in the temple means a person must keep his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the temple that made the gold holy? 18 Again you say, ‘To swear an oath by the altar doesn’t mean a thing. But to swear an oath by the gift on the altar means a person must keep his oath.’ 19 You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? 20 To swear an oath by the altar is to swear by it and by everything on it. 21 To swear an oath by the temple is to swear by it and by the one who lives there. 22 And to swear an oath by heaven is to swear by God’s throne and the one who sits on it.

23 “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give God one-tenth of your mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the most important things in Moses’ Teachings. You should have done these things without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You strain gnats out of your wine, but you swallow camels.

25 “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside they are full of greed and uncontrolled desires. 26 You blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cups and dishes so that the outside may also be clean.

27 “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You are like whitewashed graves that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28 So on the outside you look as though you have God’s approval, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of those who had God’s approval. 30 Then you say, ‘If we had lived at the time of our ancestors, we would not have helped to murder the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, finish what your ancestors started!

33 “You snakes! You poisonous snakes! How can you escape being condemned to hell? 34 I’m sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers of the Scriptures. You will kill and crucify some of them. Others you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from city to city. 35 As a result, you will be held accountable for all the innocent blood of those murdered on earth, from the murder of righteous Abel to that of Zechariah, son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I can guarantee this truth: The people living now will be held accountable for all these things.

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone to death those sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you were not willing! 38 Your house will be abandoned, deserted. 39 I can guarantee that you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:13 Some manuscripts and translations add verse 14: “How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You rob widows by taking their houses and then say long prayers to make yourselves look good. You will receive a most severe punishment.” (See Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.)
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Mateo 23
Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)

Jesús denuncia a los fariseos y a los maestros de la ley(A)(B)

23 Después de esto, Jesús dijo a la gente y a sus discípulos: 2 «Los maestros de la ley y los fariseos tienen la responsabilidad de interpretar a Moisés.[a] 3 Así que debéis obedecerlos y hacer todo lo que os digan. Pero no hagáis lo que hacen ellos, porque no practican lo que predican. 4 Atan cargas pesadas y las ponen sobre la espalda de los demás, pero ellos mismos no están dispuestos a mover ni un dedo para levantarlas.

5 »Todo lo hacen para que la gente los vea: Usan filacterias grandes y adornan sus ropas con borlas vistosas;[b] 6 se mueren por tener el lugar de honor en los banquetes y los primeros asientos en las sinagogas, 7 y porque la gente los salude en las plazas y los llame “Rabí”.

8 »Pero no permitáis que a vosotros se os llame “Rabí”, porque tenéis un solo Maestro y todos vosotros sois hermanos. 9 Y no llaméis “padre” a nadie en la tierra, porque tenéis un solo Padre, y él está en el cielo. 10 Ni permitáis que os llamen “maestro”, porque tenéis un solo Maestro, el Cristo. 11 El más importante entre vosotros será siervo de los demás. 12 Porque el que a sí mismo se enaltece será humillado, y el que se humilla será enaltecido.

13 »¡Ay de vosotros, maestros de la ley y fariseos, hipócritas! Cerráis el reino de los cielos a los demás, y ni entráis vosotros ni dejáis entrar a los que intentan hacerlo.[c]

15 »¡Ay de vosotros, maestros de la ley y fariseos, hipócritas! Recorréis tierra y mar para ganar un solo adepto, y cuando lo habéis logrado lo hacéis dos veces más merecedor del infierno[d] que vosotros.

16 »¡Ay de vosotros, guías ciegos!, que decís: “Si alguien jura por el templo, no significa nada; pero, si jura por el oro del templo, queda obligado por su juramento”. 17 ¡Ciegos insensatos! ¿Qué es más importante: el oro, o el templo que hace sagrado al oro? 18 También decís: “Si alguien jura por el altar, no significa nada; pero, si jura por la ofrenda que está sobre él, queda obligado por su juramento”. 19 ¡Ciegos! ¿Qué es más importante: la ofrenda, o el altar que hace sagrada la ofrenda? 20 Por tanto, el que jura por el altar jura no solo por el altar, sino por todo lo que está sobre él. 21 El que jura por el templo jura no solo por el templo, sino por quien habita en él. 22 Y el que jura por el cielo jura por el trono de Dios y por aquel que lo ocupa.

23 »¡Ay de vosotros, maestros de la ley y fariseos, hipócritas! Dais la décima parte de vuestras especias: la menta, el anís y el comino. Pero habéis descuidado los asuntos más importantes de la ley, tales como la justicia, la misericordia y la fidelidad. Debíais haber practicado esto sin descuidar aquello. 24 ¡Guías ciegos! Coláis el mosquito, pero os tragáis el camello.

25 »¡Ay de vosotros, maestros de la ley y fariseos, hipócritas! Limpiáis el exterior del vaso y del plato, pero por dentro estáis llenos de robo y de desenfreno. 26 ¡Fariseo ciego! Limpia primero por dentro el vaso y el plato, y así quedará limpio también por fuera.

27 »¡Ay de vosotros, maestros de la ley y fariseos, hipócritas!, que sois como sepulcros blanqueados. Por fuera lucen hermosos, pero por dentro están llenos de huesos de muertos y de podredumbre. 28 Así también vosotros, por fuera dais la impresión de ser justos, pero por dentro estáis llenos de hipocresía y de maldad.

29 »¡Ay de vosotros, maestros de la ley y fariseos, hipócritas! Construís sepulcros para los profetas y adornáis los monumentos de los justos. 30 Y decís: “Si hubiéramos vivido nosotros en los días de nuestros antepasados, no habríamos sido cómplices de ellos para derramar la sangre de los profetas”. 31 Pero así quedáis implicados al declararos descendientes de los que asesinaron a los profetas. 32 ¡Completad de una vez por todas lo que vuestros antepasados comenzaron!

33 »¡Serpientes! ¡Camada de víboras! ¿Cómo escaparéis de la condenación del infierno?[e] 34 Por eso os voy a enviar profetas, sabios y maestros. A algunos de ellos mataréis y crucificaréis; a otros azotaréis en sus sinagogas y perseguiréis de pueblo en pueblo. 35 Así recaerá sobre vosotros la culpa de toda la sangre justa que ha sido derramada sobre la tierra, desde la sangre del justo Abel hasta la de Zacarías, hijo de Berequías, a quien vosotros asesinasteis entre el santuario y el altar de los sacrificios. 36 Os aseguro que todo esto vendrá sobre esta generación.

37 »¡Jerusalén, Jerusalén, que matas a los profetas y apedreas a los que se te envían! ¡Cuántas veces quise reunir a tus hijos, como reúne la gallina a sus pollitos debajo de sus alas, pero no quisiste! 38 Pues bien, vuestra casa va a quedar abandonada. 39 Y os advierto que ya no volveréis a verme hasta que digáis: “¡Bendito el que viene en el nombre del Señor!”»[f]

Footnotes

  1. 23:2 tienen … Moisés. Lit. se sientan en la cátedra de Moisés.
  2. 23:5 Usan … vistosas. Lit. Ensanchan sus filacterias y engrandecen las borlas. Las filacterias eran pequeñas cajas en las que llevaban textos de las Escrituras en la frente y en los brazos; las borlas simbolizaban obediencia a los mandamientos (véanse Nm 15:38-39; Dt 6:8; 11:18).
  3. 23:13 hacerlo. Var. hacerlo. 14 ¡Ay de vosotros, maestros de la ley y fariseos, hipócritas! vosotros devoráis las casas de las viudas y por las apariencias hacéis largas plegarias. Por esto se os castigará con más severidad.
  4. 23:15 merecedor del infierno. Lit. hijo de la Gehenna.
  5. 23:33 del infierno. Lit. de la Gehenna.
  6. 23:39 Sal 118:26
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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

  1. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm
  2. Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
  3. Matthew 23:39 Psalm 118:26
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