New King James Version

English Standard Version

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

1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,

2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

2“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,

3Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

3so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

4For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

4They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

5But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.

5They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,

6They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

6and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues

7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’

7and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

8But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.

8But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.

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

9And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

10And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

10Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.

11But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

11The greatest among you shall be your servant.

12And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

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

13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.

14Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

14

15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

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

16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’

17Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

17You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

18And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’

18And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’

19Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

19You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

20Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.

20So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

21He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.

21And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.

22And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

22And 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 pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

24Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

24You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

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

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

26Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

26You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

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

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

28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

28So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

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

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

30and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

30saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

31“Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

31Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

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

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

33Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

33You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

34Therefore, indeed, I send 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,

34Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,

35that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

35so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

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

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

37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one 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“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

38See! Your house is left to you desolate;

38See, your house is left to you desolate.

39for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”

39For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.