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Exodus 36-38
Contemporary English Version

36 The Lord has given to Bezalel, Oholiab, and others the skills needed for building a place of worship, and they will follow the Lord's instructions.

2 Then Moses brought together these workers who were eager to work, 3 and he gave them the gifts that the people of Israel had donated for building the place of worship. In fact, so much was being given each morning, 4 that finally everyone stopped working 5 and said, “Moses, there is already more than we need for what the Lord has assigned us to do.” 6 So Moses sent word for the people to stop giving, and they did. 7 But there was already more than enough to do what needed to be done.

The Curtains and Coverings for the Sacred Tent

(Exodus 26.1-14)

8-9 The skilled workers got together to make the sacred tent and its linen curtains that were woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with figures of winged creatures. Each of the ten panels was twelve meters long and two meters wide, 10 and they were sewn together to make two curtains with five panels each. 11-13 Then 50 loops of blue cloth were put along one of the wider sides of each curtain, and the two curtains were fastened together at the loops with 50 gold hooks.

14-15 As the material for protecting the tent, goat hair was used to weave eleven sections 13 meters by 2 meters each. 16 These eleven sections were joined to make two panels, one with five and the other with six sections. 17 Fifty loops were put along one of the wider sides of each panel, 18 and the two panels were fastened at the loops with 50 bronze hooks. 19 Two other coverings were made—one with fine leather and the other with ram skins dyed red.

The Framework for the Sacred Tent

(Exodus 26.15-30)

20 Acacia wood was used to build the framework for the walls of the sacred tent. 21 Each frame was 4 meters high and 66 centimeters wide 22-26 with two wooden pegs near the bottom. Then two silver stands were placed under each frame with sockets for the pegs, so they could be joined together. Twenty of these frames were used along the south side and 20 more along the north. 27 Six frames were used for the back wall along the west side 28-29 with two more at the southwest and northwest corners. These corner frames were joined from top to bottom. 30 Altogether, along the back wall there were eight frames with two silver stands under each of them.

31-33 Five crossbars were made for each of the wooden frames, with the center crossbar running the full length of the wall. 34 The frames and crossbars were covered with gold, and gold rings were attached to the frames to run the crossbars through.

The Inside Curtain for the Sacred Tent

(Exodus 26.31-37)

35 They made the inside curtain[a] of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool, and embroidered with figures of winged creatures. 36 They also made four acacia wood posts and covered them with gold. Then gold rings were fastened to the posts, which were set on silver stands.

37 For the entrance to the tent, they used a curtain of fine linen woven with blue, purple, and red wool and embroidered with fancy needlework. 38 They made five posts, covered them completely with gold, and set each of them on a gold-covered bronze stand. Finally, they attached hooks for the curtain.

The Sacred Chest

(Exodus 25.10-22)

37 Bezalel built a chest of acacia wood 110 centimeters long, 66 centimeters wide, and 66 centimeters high. 2 He covered it inside and out with pure gold and put a gold edging around the top. 3 He made four gold rings and attached one of them to each of the four legs of the chest. 4 Then he made two poles of acacia wood, covered them with gold, 5 and put them through the rings, so the chest could be carried by the poles.

6 The entire lid of the chest, which was made of pure gold, was the place of mercy.[b] 7-9 On each of the two ends of the chest he made a winged creature of hammered gold. They faced each other, and their wings covered the place of mercy.

The Table for the Sacred Bread

(Exodus 25.23-30)

10 Bezalel built a table of acacia wood 88 centimeters long, 44 centimeters wide, and 66 centimeters high. 11-12 He covered it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it with a border 75 millimeters thick.[c] 13 He made four gold rings and attached one to each of the legs 14 near the edging. The poles for carrying the table were placed through these rings 15 and were made of acacia wood covered with gold. 16 Everything that was to be set on the table was made of pure gold—the bowls, plates, jars, and cups for wine offerings.

The Lampstand

(Exodus 25.31-40)

17 Bezalel made a lampstand of pure gold. The whole lampstand, including its decorative flowers, was made from a single piece of hammered gold, 18 with three branches on each of its two sides. 19 There were three decorative almond blossoms on each branch 20 and four on the stem. 21 There was also a blossom where each pair of branches came out from the stem. 22 The lampstand, including its branches and decorative flowers, was made from a single piece of hammered pure gold. 23-24 The lamp and its equipment, including the tongs and trays, were made of about 35 kilograms of pure gold.

The Altar for Burning Incense

(Exodus 30.1-5)

25 For burning incense, Bezalel made an altar of acacia wood. It was 45 centimeters square and 90 centimeters high with each of its four corners sticking up like the horn of a bull. 26 He covered it with pure gold and put a gold edging around it. 27 Then below the edging on opposite sides he attached two gold rings through which he put the poles for carrying the altar. 28 These poles were also made of acacia wood and covered with gold.

The Oil for Dedication and the Incense

(Exodus 30.22-38)

29 (A) Bezalel mixed the sacred oil for dedication and the pure spices for the sweet-smelling incense.

The Altar for Offering Sacrifices

(Exodus 27.1-8)

38 Bezalel built an altar of acacia wood for offering sacrifices. It was 2.25 meters square and 1.34 meters high 2 with each of its four corners sticking up like the horn of a bull, and it was completely covered with bronze. 3 The equipment for the altar was also made of bronze—the pans for the hot ashes, the shovels, the bowls, the meat forks, and the fire pans. 4 About halfway up the altar he built a ledge around it and covered the bottom half of the altar with a decorative bronze grating. 5 Then he attached a bronze ring beneath the ledge at the four corners to put the poles through. 6 He covered two acacia wood poles with bronze and 7 put them through the rings for carrying the altar, which was shaped like an open box.

The Large Bronze Bowl

(Exodus 30.18-21)

8 (B) Bezalel made a large bowl and a stand out of bronze from the mirrors of the women who helped at the entrance to the sacred tent.

The Courtyard around the Sacred Tent

(Exodus 27.9-19)

9-17 Around the sacred tent Bezalel built a courtyard 44 meters long on the south and north and 22 meters wide on the east and west. He used 20 bronze posts on bronze stands for the south and north and 10 for the west. Then he hung a curtain of fine linen on the posts along each of these three sides by using silver hooks and rods. He placed three bronze posts on each side of the entrance at the east and hung a curtain 6.67 meters wide on each set of posts.

18-19 For the entrance to the courtyard, Bezalel made a curtain nine meters long, which he hung on four bronze posts that were set on bronze stands. This curtain was 2.25 meters high, the same height as the one for the rest of the courtyard, and was made of fine linen embroidered and woven with blue, purple, and red wool. He hung the curtain on the four posts, using silver hooks and rods. 20 The pegs for the tent and for the curtain around the tent were made of bronze.

The Sacred Tent

21-23 Bezalel had worked closely with Oholiab,[d] who was an expert at designing and engraving, and at embroidering blue, purple, and red wool. The two of them completed the work that the Lord had commanded to be done.

Moses put Aaron's son Ithamar in charge of the Levites who kept record of the metals used for the sacred tent. 24 According to the official weights, the amount of gold given was a ton, 25 (C) and the silver that was collected when the people were counted[e] came to 3.4 tons. 26 (D) Everyone who was counted paid the required amount, and there was a total of 603,550 men who were 20 years old or older.

27 Thirty-four kilograms of the silver were used to make each of the 100 stands for the sacred tent and the curtain. 28 The remaining 30 kilograms of silver were used for the hooks and rods and for covering the tops of the posts.

29 Two thousand four hundred and twenty-five kilograms of bronze were given. 30 And it was used to make the stands for the entrance to the tent, the altar and its grating, the equipment for the altar, 31 the stands for the posts that surrounded the courtyard, including those at the entrance to the courtyard, and the pegs for the tent and the courtyard.

Footnotes

  1. 36.35 inside curtain: Separating the holy place from the most holy place.
  2. 37.6 place of mercy: See the note at 26.34.
  3. 37.11,12 a gold edging … thick: Or “a gold edging around it 75 millimeters thick.”
  4. 38.21-23 Bezalel … Oholiab: Hebrew “Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur of the Judah tribe had worked closely with Oholiab son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan.”
  5. 38.25 counted: See 30.11-16; Numbers 1.
Listen to Exodus 36-38, Matthew 23:1-22
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Exodus 36-38
New International Version

36 1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person(A) to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary(B) are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”

2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel(C) and Oholiab(D) and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing(E) to come and do the work. 3 They received from Moses all the offerings(F) the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing 5 and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough(G) for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done.”

6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more(H) than enough to do all the work.

The Tabernacle(I)

8 All those who were skilled among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by expert hands. 9 All the curtains were the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.[a] 10 They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five. 11 Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set. 12 They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. 13 Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.(J)

14 They made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. 15 All eleven curtains were the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.[b] 16 They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set. 17 Then they made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. 18 They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit.(K) 19 Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.[c]

20 They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. 21 Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide,[d] 22 with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. 23 They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle 24 and made forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. 25 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames 26 and forty silver bases—two under each frame. 27 They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, 28 and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end. 29 At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike. 30 So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

31 They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, 32 five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. 33 They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. 34 They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

35 They made the curtain(L) of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. 36 They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases. 37 For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer;(M) 38 and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

The Ark(N)

37 Bezalel(O) made the ark(P) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.[e] 2 He overlaid it with pure gold,(Q) both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 3 He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 4 Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

6 He made the atonement cover(R) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 7 Then he made two cherubim(S) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 8 He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. 9 The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing(T) the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.(U)

The Table(V)

10 They[f] made the table(W) of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.[g] 11 Then they overlaid it with pure gold(X) and made a gold molding around it. 12 They also made around it a rim a handbreadth[h] wide and put a gold molding on the rim. 13 They cast four gold rings for the table and fastened them to the four corners, where the four legs were. 14 The rings(Y) were put close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. 15 The poles for carrying the table were made of acacia wood and were overlaid with gold. 16 And they made from pure gold the articles for the table—its plates and dishes and bowls and its pitchers for the pouring out of drink offerings.

The Lampstand(Z)

17 They made the lampstand(AA) of pure gold. They hammered out its base and shaft, and made its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them. 18 Six branches extended from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 19 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were on one branch, three on the next branch and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 20 And on the lampstand were four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 21 One bud was under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 22 The buds and the branches were all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.(AB)

23 They made its seven lamps,(AC) as well as its wick trimmers and trays, of pure gold. 24 They made the lampstand and all its accessories from one talent[i] of pure gold.

The Altar of Incense(AD)

25 They made the altar of incense(AE) out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long and a cubit wide and two cubits high[j]—its horns(AF) of one piece with it. 26 They overlaid the top and all the sides and the horns with pure gold, and made a gold molding around it. 27 They made two gold rings(AG) below the molding—two on each of the opposite sides—to hold the poles used to carry it. 28 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.(AH)

29 They also made the sacred anointing oil(AI) and the pure, fragrant incense(AJ)—the work of a perfumer.

The Altar of Burnt Offering(AK)

38 They[k] built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits[l] high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.[m] 2 They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.(AL) 3 They made all its utensils(AM) of bronze—its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. 4 They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar. 5 They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating. 6 They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7 They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.

The Basin for Washing

8 They made the bronze basin(AN) and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women(AO) who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

The Courtyard(AP)

9 Next they made the courtyard. The south side was a hundred cubits[n] long and had curtains of finely twisted linen, 10 with twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, and with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 11 The north side was also a hundred cubits long and had twenty posts and twenty bronze bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts.

12 The west end was fifty cubits[o] wide and had curtains, with ten posts and ten bases, with silver hooks and bands on the posts. 13 The east end, toward the sunrise, was also fifty cubits wide. 14 Curtains fifteen cubits[p] long were on one side of the entrance, with three posts and three bases, 15 and curtains fifteen cubits long were on the other side of the entrance to the courtyard, with three posts and three bases. 16 All the curtains around the courtyard were of finely twisted linen. 17 The bases for the posts were bronze. The hooks and bands on the posts were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver; so all the posts of the courtyard had silver bands.

18 The curtain for the entrance to the courtyard was made of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. It was twenty cubits[q] long and, like the curtains of the courtyard, five cubits[r] high, 19 with four posts and four bronze bases. Their hooks and bands were silver, and their tops were overlaid with silver. 20 All the tent pegs(AQ) of the tabernacle and of the surrounding courtyard were bronze.

The Materials Used

21 These are the amounts of the materials used for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant law,(AR) which were recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar(AS) son of Aaron, the priest. 22 (Bezalel(AT) son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything the Lord commanded Moses; 23 with him was Oholiab(AU) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan—an engraver and designer, and an embroiderer in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen.) 24 The total amount of the gold from the wave offering used for all the work on the sanctuary(AV) was 29 talents and 730 shekels,[s] according to the sanctuary shekel.(AW)

25 The silver obtained from those of the community who were counted in the census(AX) was 100 talents[t] and 1,775 shekels,[u] according to the sanctuary shekel— 26 one beka per person,(AY) that is, half a shekel,[v] according to the sanctuary shekel,(AZ) from everyone who had crossed over to those counted, twenty years old or more,(BA) a total of 603,550 men.(BB) 27 The 100 talents of silver were used to cast the bases(BC) for the sanctuary and for the curtain—100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base. 28 They used the 1,775 shekels to make the hooks for the posts, to overlay the tops of the posts, and to make their bands.

29 The bronze from the wave offering was 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.[w] 30 They used it to make the bases for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the bronze altar with its bronze grating and all its utensils, 31 the bases for the surrounding courtyard and those for its entrance and all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and those for the surrounding courtyard.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 36:9 That is, about 42 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 13 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  2. Exodus 36:15 That is, about 45 feet long and 6 feet wide or about 14 meters long and 1.8 meters wide
  3. Exodus 36:19 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals (see 35:7)
  4. Exodus 36:21 That is, about 15 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide or about 4.5 meters long and 68 centimeters wide
  5. Exodus 37:1 That is, about 3 3/4 feet long and 2 1/4 feet wide and high or about 1.1 meters long and 68 centimeters wide and high; similarly in verse 6
  6. Exodus 37:10 Or He; also in verses 11-29
  7. Exodus 37:10 That is, about 3 feet long, 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 1/4 feet high or about 90 centimeters long, 45 centimeters wide and 68 centimeters high
  8. Exodus 37:12 That is, about 3 inches or about 7.5 centimeters
  9. Exodus 37:24 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
  10. Exodus 37:25 That is, about 1 1/2 feet long and wide and 3 feet high or about 45 centimeters long and wide and 90 centimeters high
  11. Exodus 38:1 Or He; also in verses 2-9
  12. Exodus 38:1 That is, about 4 1/2 feet or about 1.4 meters
  13. Exodus 38:1 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters long and wide
  14. Exodus 38:9 That is, about 150 feet or about 45 meters
  15. Exodus 38:12 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters
  16. Exodus 38:14 That is, about 22 feet or about 6.8 meters
  17. Exodus 38:18 That is, about 30 feet or about 9 meters
  18. Exodus 38:18 That is, about 7 1/2 feet or about 2.3 meters
  19. Exodus 38:24 The weight of the gold was a little over a ton or about 1 metric ton.
  20. Exodus 38:25 That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons; also in verse 27
  21. Exodus 38:25 That is, about 44 pounds or about 20 kilograms; also in verse 28
  22. Exodus 38:26 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
  23. Exodus 38:29 The weight of the bronze was about 2 1/2 tons or about 2.4 metric tons.
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Matthew 23:1-22
Contemporary English Version

Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law of Moses

(Mark 12.38-40; Luke 11.37-52; 20.45-47)

23 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. 3 So obey everything they teach you, but don't do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.

4 They pile heavy burdens on people's shoulders and won't lift a finger to help. 5 (A) Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels[a] for everyone to see. 6 They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues. 7 And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers.

8 But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. 9 Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. 10 None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. 11 (B) Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. 12 (C) If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.

13-14 You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You won't go in yourselves, and you keep others from going in.[b]

15 You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You travel over land and sea to win one follower. And when you have done so, you make that person twice as fit for hell as you are.

16 You are in for trouble! You are supposed to lead others, but you are blind. You teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the temple. But you say it does matter if someone swears by the gold in the temple. 17 You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?

18 You also teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the altar. But you say it does matter if someone swears by the gift on the altar. 19 Are you blind? Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Anyone who swears by the altar also swears by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple also swears by God, who lives there. 22 (D) To swear by heaven is the same as swearing by God's throne and by the one who sits on that throne.

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Footnotes

  1. 23.5 wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms … tassels: As a sign of their love for God and his teachings, the Jewish people often wore Scripture verses in small leather boxes. But the Pharisees tried to show off by making the boxes bigger than necessary. The Jewish people were also taught to wear tassels on the four corners of their robes to show their love for God.
  2. 23.13,14 from going in: Some manuscripts add, “You Pharisees and teachers are in for trouble! And you're nothing but show-offs! You cheat widows out of their homes and then pray long prayers just to show off. So you will be punished most of all.”
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Matthew 23:1-22
New International Version

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. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.(D)

5 “Everything they do is done for people to see:(E) They make their phylacteries[a](F) wide and the tassels on their garments(G) long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;(H) 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.(I)

8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father,(J) and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(K) 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.(L)

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!(M) You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.(N) [14] [b]

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert,(O) and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell(P) as you are.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides!(Q) You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’(R) 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?(S) 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?(T) 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells(U) in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.(V)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm
  2. Matthew 23:14 Some manuscripts include here words similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
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