1 T hen Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,

Then Jesus said to the multitudes and to His disciples,

2 s aying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses’ seat.

The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.

3 A ll things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do.

So observe and practice all they tell you; but do not do what they do, for they preach, but do not practice.

4 F or they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.

They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them.

5 B ut all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,

They do all their works to be seen of men; for they make wide their phylacteries ( small cases enclosing certain Scripture passages, worn during prayer on the left arm and forehead) and make long their fringes.

6 a nd love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

And they take pleasure in and love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,

7 t he salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.

And to be greeted with honor in the marketplaces and to have people call them rabbi.

8 B ut don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

But you are not to be called rabbi (teacher), for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers.

9 C all no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

And do not call anyone on earth father, for you have one Father, Who is in heaven.

10 N either be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.

And you must not be called masters (leaders), for you have one Master (Leader), the Christ.

11 B ut he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 W hoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Whoever exalts himself '> with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.

13 “ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are about to go in to do so.

14 “ But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you swallow up widows’ houses and for a pretense to cover it up make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation and the heavier sentence.

15 W oe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him doubly as much a child of hell (Gehenna) as you are.

16 “ Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’

Woe to you, blind guides, who say, If anyone swears by the sanctuary of the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the sanctuary, he is a debtor.

17 Y ou blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

You blind fools! For which is greater: the gold, or the sanctuary of the temple that has made the gold sacred?

18 ‘ Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?’

You say too, Whoever swears by the altar is not duty bound; but whoever swears by the offering on the altar, his oath is binding.

19 Y ou blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar which makes the gift sacred?

20 H e therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.

So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

21 H e who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who was living in it.

And he who swears by the sanctuary of the temple swears by it and by Him Who dwells in it.

22 H e who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.

And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him Who sits upon it.

23 “ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you give a tenth of your mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected and omitted the weightier (more important) matters of the Law—right and justice and mercy and fidelity. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

24 Y ou blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!

You blind guides, filtering out a gnat and gulping down a camel!

25 “ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but within they are full of extortion (prey, spoil, plunder) and grasping self-indulgence.

26 Y ou blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.

You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside may be clean also.

27 “ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything impure.

28 E ven so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Just so, you also outwardly seem to people to be just and upright but inside you are full of pretense and lawlessness and iniquity.

29 “ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,

30 a nd say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Saying, If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have aided them in shedding the blood of the prophets.

31 T herefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.

Thus you are testifying against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

32 F ill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins to the brim '> that nothing may be wanting to a full measure].

33 Y ou serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna ?

You serpents! You spawn of vipers! How can you escape the penalty to be suffered in hell (Gehenna)?

34 T herefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;

Because of this, take notice: I am sending you prophets and wise men (interpreters and teachers) and scribes (men learned in the Mosaic Law and the Prophets); some of them you will kill, even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue and persecute from town to town,

35 t hat on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.

So that upon your heads may come all the blood of the righteous ( those who correspond to the divine standard of right) shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

36 M ost certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Truly I declare to you, all these '> evil, calamitous times] will come upon this generation.

37 “ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, murdering the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a mother fowl gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused!

38 B ehold, your house is left to you desolate.

Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate (abandoned and left destitute of God’s help).

39 F or I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

For I declare to you, you will not see Me again until you say, Blessed (magnified in worship, adored, and exalted) is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!