Religious Hypocrites Denounced

23 Then^(A) Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples:^{(B) 2} “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.^{(C) 3} Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.^{(D) 4} They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry^[a] and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them.^{(E) 5} They do everything^[b] to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries^(F) and lengthen their tassels.^{[c](G) 6} They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues,^{(H) 7} greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

⁸ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher,^[d] and you are all brothers and sisters.^{(I) 9} Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.^{(J) 10} You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant.^{(K) 12} Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.^(L)

¹³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.^[e](M)

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert,^(N) and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides,^(O) who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath^(P) by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’^{[f] 17} Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple 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.’ ¹⁹ Blind people!^[g] For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?^{(Q) 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 temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells^(R) in it. ²² And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne^(S) and by him who sits on it.^(T)

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of^[h] mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice,^(U) mercy, and faithfulness.^[i] These things should have been done without neglecting the others. ²⁴ Blind guides!^(V) You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed^[j] and self-indulgence.^{(W) 26} Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,^[k] so that the outside of it^[l] may also become clean.

²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,^(X) which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of 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 graves of the righteous, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors’ sins!^(Y)

³³ “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?^{[m](Z) 34} This is why I am sending you prophets,^(AA) sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues^(AB) and pursue from town to town. ³⁵ So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you,^[n] from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,^(AC) son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.^{(AD) 36} Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.^(AE)

Warning against the Scribes

⁴⁵ While^(A) all the people were listening, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁶ “Beware^(B) of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.^{(C) 47} They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”