Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples:

1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,

2"The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.

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

3Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don't do what they do, because they don't practice what they teach.

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

4They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people's shoulders, but they themselves aren't willing to lift a finger to move them.

4"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.

5They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

5"But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

6They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues,

6"They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by people.

7and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.

8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.

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

9Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.

9"Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

10You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah.

10"Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

11The greatest among you will be your servant.

11"But the greatest among you shall be your servant.

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

12"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

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.

13"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

14	14"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.

15"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are!

15"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.'

16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.'

17Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

17"You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

18Also, '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.'

18"And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.'

19Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

19"You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

20Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it.

20"Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.

21The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells in it.

21"And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it.

22And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God's throne and by him who sits on it.

22"And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

23"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.

23"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

24Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!

24"You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow 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 and self-indulgence.

25"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.

26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.

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.

27"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity.

27"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

28In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

28"So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly 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,

29"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,

30and 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.'

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.'

31So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

31"So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

32Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors' sins!

32"Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.

33"Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?

33"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

34This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

34"Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and 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,

35So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

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 temple and the altar.

36Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.

36"Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

37"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

37"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

38See, your house is left to you desolate.

38"Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!

39For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord '!"

39"For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org