Mat 23 | Noyes | STEP | Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes, and to his disciples,

‏ Matthew 23

1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes, and to his disciples, 2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses. 3 All, therefore, whatever they bid you, do and observe; but do not according to their works; for they say, and do not. 4 They bind heavy burdens, and lay them on men’s shoulders, and will not themselves move them with a finger. 5 And all their works they do to be observed by men. They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge their fringes, 6 and love the first place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 and salutations in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your teacher; and ye are all brethren. 9 And call no one your father on the earth; for one is your father, he who is in heaven. 10 Nor be ye called leaders; for one is your leader, the Christ. 11 But the greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled; and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted. 13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites I because ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye go not in yourselves, nor suffer those who are entering to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him two-fold mole a son of hell than yourselves. 16 Woe to you, blind guides, that say, Whoever sweareth by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever sweareth by the gold of the temple, is bound. 17 Fools and blind I for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18 And, Whoever sweareth by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, is bound. 19 Blind men! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar flint sanctifieth the gift? 20 He then who sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it; 21 and he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth in it; 22 and he who sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereon. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithes of the mint, and the dill, and the cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, justice, and mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave those undone. 24 Blind guides! who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but within they are full of robbery and licentiousness. 26 Blind Pharisee! cleanse first the inside of the cup, that its outside side also may become clean. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like whited sepulchres, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the tombs of the righteous, 30 and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are the sons of those who killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers! 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! how can ye escape the punishment of hell? 34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; some of them ye will kill and crucify, and some of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city; 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye slew, between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly do I say to you, All these things will come upon this generation. 37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth those who are sent to her! How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Lo! your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I say to you, Ye will not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.