Matthew 23:13-36
Christian Standard Bible
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.[a](A)
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert,(B) and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!
16 “Woe to you, blind guides,(C) who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath(D) by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’[b] 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![c] For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?(E) 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(F) in it. 22 And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne(G) and by him who sits on it.(H)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of[d] mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice,(I) mercy, and faithfulness.[e] These things should have been done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides!(J) 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[f] and self-indulgence.(K) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,[g] so that the outside of it[h] may also become clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,(L) 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!(M)
33 “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?[i](N) 34 This is why I am sending you prophets,(O) sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues(P) and pursue from town to town. 35 So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you,[j] from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,(Q) son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.(R) 36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.(S)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
Matthew 23:13-36
International Standard Version
13 “How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom from[a] 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![b]
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[c] hell[d] as you are.
16 “How terrible it will be for you, blind guides! You say, ‘Whoever swears an oath by the sanctuary is excused,[e] but whoever swears an oath by the gold of the sanctuary must keep his oath.’[f] 17 You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the sanctuary that made the gold holy? 18 Again you say,[g] ‘Whoever swears an oath by the altar is excused,[h] but whoever swears by the gift that is on it must keep his oath.’[i] 19 You blind men![j] 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.[k] 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,[l] 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[m] 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![n] 33 You snakes, you children of serpents! How can you escape being condemned to hell?[o]
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[p] all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel[q] to the blood of Berechiah’s son Zechariah,[r] whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 I tell all of you[s] with certainty, all these things will happen to those living today.”[t]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
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