Mat 23 | HCSB | STEP | Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples :

Matthew 23

Religious Hypocrites Denounced

1 Then ^a Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: ^b 2 “The ^{▼▼scribe(s): A professional group in Judaism that copied the law of Moses and interpreted it, especially in legal cases}scribes and the ^{▼▼Pharisee(s): In Judaism a religious sect that followed the whole written and oral law}Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. ^{▼▼Perhaps a special chair for teaching in synagogues, or a metaphorical phrase for teaching with Moses’ authority
,} ^f 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, ^{▼▼Lit do according to their works} because they don’t practice what they teach. ^h 4 They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry ^{▼▼Other mss omit that are hard to carry} and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger ^{▼▼Lit lift with their finger} to move them. ^k 5 They do everything ^{▼▼Lit do all their works} to be observed by others: They enlarge their phylacteries ^{▼▼Small leather boxes containing OT texts, worn by Jews on their arms and foreheads
,} ⁿ and lengthen their ^{▼▼tassel: Fringe put on the clothing of devout Jews to remind them to keep the law; Nm 15:37-41}tassels. ^{▼▼Other mss add on their robes
,} ^q 6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the ^{▼▼synagogue(s): A place where the Jewish people met for prayer, worship and teaching of the Scriptures}synagogues, ^s 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘ ^{▼▼Rabbi: The Hebrew word Rabbi means my great one; it is used of a recognized teacher of the Scriptures.}Rabbi’ by people.

8 “But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, ^{▼▼Other mss add the Messiah} and you are all ^{▼▼brother(s): The Greek word adelphoi can be used as a reference to males only or to groups that include males and females. It is the context of each usage that determines the proper meaning.}brothers. ^w 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. ^x 10 And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master, ^{▼▼Or Teacher} the ^{▼▼Messiah: Or the Christ; the Greek word Christos means "the anointed one".}Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. ^aa 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. ^ab

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in. ^ac[ 14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show. ^{▼▼Or prayers with false motivation} This is why you will receive a harsher punishment.] ^{▼▼Other mss omit bracketed text}

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one ^{▼▼proselyte: A person from another race or religion who went through a prescribed ritual to become a Jew}proselyte, ^ag and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for ^{▼▼hell/hellfire: Greek Gehenna; Aramaic for Valley of Hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem; it was formerly a place of human sacrifice and in NT times a place for the burning of garbage; the place of final judgment for those rejecting Christ.}hell ^{▼▼Lit twice the son of gehenna} as you are!

16 “Woe to you, blind guides, ^aj who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath ^ak by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.’ ^{▼▼Lit is obligated} 17 Blind fools! ^{▼▼Lit Fools and blind} For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary 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.’ ^{▼▼Lit is obligated} 19 Blind people! ^{▼▼Other mss read Fools and blind} For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ^ap 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 sanctuary takes an oath by it and by Him who dwells ^aq in it. 22 And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne ^ar and by Him who sits on it. ^as

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of ^{▼▼Or You tithe} mint, dill, and cumin, ^{▼▼A plant whose seeds are used as a seasoning} yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, ^av mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! ^aw You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You ^{▼▼clean: When something is clean, it is holy or acceptable to God. When it is unclean, it is unholy (such as an unclean spirit). The term can be used in a ritual sense to apply to moral standards for living.}clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed ^{▼▼Or full of violence} and self-indulgence! ^az 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, ^{▼▼Other mss add and dish} so the outside of it ^{▼▼Other mss read of them} may also become clean.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, ^bc which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every 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 monuments of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ ^{▼▼Lit have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets} 31 You, therefore, testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins! ^{▼▼Lit the measure of your fathers
,} ^bf

33 “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? ^{▼▼Lit escape from the judgment of gehenna
,} ^bh 34 This is why I am sending you prophets, ^bi sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues ^bj and hound from town to town. 35 So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, ^{▼▼Lit will come on you} from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, ^bl son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ^bm 36 ^{▼▼I assure you: This is a phrase used only by Jesus to testify to the certainty and importance of His words; in Mt, Mk and Lk it is literally Amen, I say to you, and in Jn it is literally Amen, amen, I say to you.}I assure you: All these things will come on this generation! ^bo

Jesus’ Lamentation over Jerusalem

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem! ^bp She who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks ^{▼▼Or as a mother bird gathers her young} under her wings, yet you were not willing! ^br 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. ^bs 39 For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One’!” ^{bt
,} ^bu