¹⁵ and how from infancy^(A) you have known the Holy Scriptures,^(B) which are able to make you wise^(C) for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed^(D) and is useful for teaching,^(E) rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,^{(F) 17} so that the servant of God^[a](G) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.^(H)

¹¹ He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven^(A) has been given to you,^(B) but not to them.

⁶ Observe^(A) them carefully, for this will show your wisdom^(B) and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”^{(C) 7} What other nation is so great^(D) as to have their gods near^(E) them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? ⁸ And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws^(F) as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

²⁴ You blind guides!^(A) 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,^(B) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.^{(C) 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,^(D) 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^(E) 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.^{(F) 32} Go ahead, then, and complete^(G) what your ancestors started!^(H)

³³ “You snakes! You brood of vipers!^(I) How will you escape being condemned to hell?^{(J) 34} Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify;^(K) others you will flog in your synagogues^(L) and pursue from town to town.^{(M) 35} And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel^(N) to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah,^(O) whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.^{(P) 36} Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.^(Q)