The Fulfillment of the Law

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.^{(A) 18} For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.^{(B) 19} Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands^(C) and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

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.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(A) were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. ⁶⁰ But they did not find any, though many false witnesses^(B) came forward.

Finally two^(C) came forward ⁶¹ and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”^(D)

⁵⁵ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin^(A) were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. ⁵⁶ Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

⁵⁷ Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another,^(B) not made with hands.’” ⁵⁹ Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

⁴⁵ “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses,^(A) on whom your hopes are set.^{(B) 46} If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.^{(C) 47} But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”^(D)