Matthew 23:22-28

New International Version

²² And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.^(A)

²³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth^(B) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.^(C) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides!^(D) 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,^(E) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.^{(F) 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,^(G) 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.