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Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’s seat;(A) therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,[a] and lay them on the shoulders of others, but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.(B) They do all their deeds to be seen by others, for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.(C) They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues(D) and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.(E) And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father, the one in heaven.(F) 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.[b] 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(G) 12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 23.4 Other ancient authorities lack hard to bear
  2. 23.10 Or the Christ

Seven Woes Pronounced on the Scribes and Pharisees

23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses. Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but do not do as they do,[a] for they tell others to do something[b] and do not do it themselves.[c] And they tie up heavy burdens[d] and put them[e] on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move them. And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their[f] tassels long. And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because one is your teacher, and you are all brothers, And do not call anyone[g] your father on earth, for one is your heavenly Father. 10 And do not be called teachers, because one is your teacher, the Christ. 11 And the greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:3 Literally “their deeds”
  2. Matthew 23:3 The words “others to do something” are not in the Greek text but are implied
  3. Matthew 23:3 *The words “it themselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied
  4. Matthew 23:4 Some manuscripts have “burdens that are heavy and hard to bear”
  5. Matthew 23:4 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  6. Matthew 23:5 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  7. Matthew 23:9 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation