Matthew 23:13-36
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in you stop them.[a](A) 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell[b] as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’(B) 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred?(C) 18 And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.’ 19 How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?(D) 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it, 21 and whoever swears by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who dwells in it, 22 and whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.(E)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others.(F) 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and of the plate,[c] so that the outside also may become clean.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of uncleanness. 28 So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For 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 would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. 33 You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape the judgment of hell?[d] 34 For this reason I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 23.13 Other authorities add 23.14 here (or after 23.12): Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for the sake of appearance you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation
- 23.15 Gk Gehenna
- 23.26 Other ancient authorities lack and of the plate
- 23.33 Gk Gehenna
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
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.