Matthew 23 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Scribes and Pharisees Denounced

(Mar 12:38–40; Luk 20:45–47 )

Then^G5119 Jesus^G2424 spoke^G2980 to the crowds^G3793 and to His disciples^G3101,

Mat 23:2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;

Mat 23:3therefore all that they tell you, do and keep, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

Mat 23:4

Mat 23:4“And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.

Mat 23:5

Mat 23:5“But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their [fn]phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

Mat 23:6

Mat 23:6“And they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues,

Mat 23:7

Mat 23:7and respectful greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by men.

Mat 23:8

Mat 23:8“But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.

Mat 23:9

Mat 23:9“And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

Mat 23:10

Mat 23:10“Do not be called instructors; for One is your Instructor, that is, Christ.

Mat 23:11

Mat 23:11“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.

Mat 23:12

Mat 23:12“And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees

Mat 23:13

“But woe^G3759 to you, scribes^G1122 and Pharisees^G5330, hypocrites^G5273, because^G3754 you shut^G2808 off the kingdom^G932 of heaven^G3772 [fn]from [fn]people^G444; for you do not enter^G1525 in^G1525 yourselves^G4771, nor^G3761 do you allow^G863 those^G3588 who are entering^G1525 to go^G1525 in^G1525.

Mat 23:14

Mat 23:14 [fn][“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]

Mat 23:15

“Woe^G3759 to you, scribes^G1122 and Pharisees^G5330, hypocrites^G5273, because^G3754 you travel^G4013 around^G4013 on sea^G2281 and land^G3584 to make^G4160 one^G1520 [fn]proselyte^G4339; and when^G3752 he becomes^G1096 one, you make^G4160 him twice^G1362 as^G1362 much^G1362 a son^G5207 of [fn]hell^G1067 as yourselves^G4771.

Mat 23:16

“Woe^G3759 to you, blind^G5185 guides^G3595, who say^G3004, ‘Whoever^G3739^G302 swears^G3660 by the [fn]sanctuary^G3485, that is nothing^G3762; but whoever^G3739^G302 swears^G3660 by the gold^G5557 of the [fn]sanctuary^G3485 is obligated^G3784.’

Mat 23:17

Mat 23:17“You fools and blind men! For which is [fn]more important, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold?

Mat 23:18

Mat 23:18“And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the [fn]offering on it, he is obligated.’

Mat 23:19

Mat 23:19“You blind men, which is [fn]more important, the [fn]offering, or the altar that sanctifies the [fn]offering?

Mat 23:20

Mat 23:20“Therefore, [fn]whoever swears by the altar, swears both by [fn]the altar and by everything on it.

Mat 23:21

Mat 23:21“And [fn]whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears both by the [fn]sanctuary and by Him who dwells within it.

Mat 23:22

Mat 23:22“And [fn]whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

Mat 23:23

“Woe^G3759 to you, scribes^G1122 and Pharisees^G5330, hypocrites^G5273! For you tithe^G586 mint^G2238 and dill^G432 and [fn]cumin^G2951, and have neglected^G863 the weightier^G926 provisions^G926 of the Law^G3551: justice^G2920 and mercy^G1656 and faithfulness^G4102; but these^G3778 are the things you should^G1163 have done^G4160 without^G3361 neglecting^G863 the others^G2548.

Mat 23:24

Mat 23:24“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!

Mat 23:25

“Woe^G3759 to you, scribes^G1122 and Pharisees^G5330, hypocrites^G5273! For you clean^G2511 the outside^G1855 of the cup^G4221 and of the dish^G3953, but inside^G2081 they are full^G1073 [fn]of robbery^G724 and self-indulgence^G192.

Mat 23:26

Mat 23:26“You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

Mat 23:27

“Woe^G3759 to you, scribes^G1122 and Pharisees^G5330, hypocrites^G5273! For you are like^G3945 whitewashed^G2867 tombs^G5028 which^G3748 on the outside^G1855 appear^G5316 beautiful^G5611, but inside^G2081 they are full^G1073 of dead^G3498 men’s^G3498 bones^G3747 and all^G3956 uncleanness^G167.

Mat 23:28

Mat 23:28“In this way, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Mat 23:29

“Woe^G3759 to you, scribes^G1122 and Pharisees^G5330, hypocrites^G5273! For you build^G3618 the tombs^G5028 of the prophets^G4396 and adorn^G2885 the monuments^G3419 of the righteous^G1342,

Mat 23:30

Mat 23:30and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

Mat 23:31

Mat 23:31“So you bear witness against yourselves, that you are [fn]sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Mat 23:32

Mat 23:32“Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.

Mat 23:33

Mat 23:33“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how [fn]will you escape the [fn]sentence of [fn]hell?

Mat 23:34

“On account of this^G1223^G3778, behold^G2400, I am sending^G649 you prophets^G4396 and wise^G4680 men^G4680 and scribes^G1122; some^G1537 of them you will kill^G615 and crucify^G4717, and some^G1537 of them you will flog^G3146 in your synagogues^G4864, and persecute^G1377 from city^G4172 to city^G4172,

Mat 23:35

Mat 23:35so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

Mat 23:36

Mat 23:36“Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

(Luk 13:34, 35 )

Mat 23:37

“Jerusalem^G2419, Jerusalem^G2419, who kills^G615 the prophets^G4396 and stones^G3036 those^G3588 who are sent^G649 to her! How^G4212 often^G4212 I wanted^G2309 to gather^G1996 your children^G5043 together^G1996, the way^G5158 a hen^G3733 gathers^G1996 her chicks^G3556 under^G5259 her wings^G4420, and you did not want^G3756^G2309 it.