1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples, 2“The scribes (teachers) and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat (as the official interpreters of Moses’ law). 3So, therefore, you should obey what they tell you; but do not do what they do; for they do not practice what they preach. 4For they bind heavy burdens upon the shoulders of men (impose unbearable rules upon them); but they themselves will not lift a finger to move those heavy burdens. 5And what they do, they do to be seen by men; they make their phylacteries (prayer boxes containing Scripture verses) large and ostentatious, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6And they love the places of highest honor at feasts, and the best seats in the synagogues, 7And to be greeted by men in the market places, and to be called, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’. 8But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’; for you have only one Teacher or One Who is your Master, even Christ; and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on the earth your ‘father’; for you have One Father, and He is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called masters (instructors); for only One is your Master, even Christ. 11But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and those who humble themselves shall be exalted.”

13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces; you do not enter yourselves, nor do you permit those that want to enter to go in. 14Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour (seize) widows' homes, and for a pretense make long prayers; therefore, you shall receive the greater condemnation. 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when you succeed, you make him twice the child of hell that you yourselves are. 16Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by God’s Temple, it means nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the Temple, is bound by his oath!’ 17You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold, or the Temple that sanctifies the gold (makes the gold sacred)? 18And you also say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it means nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is bound by his oath!’ 19You blind fools! Which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore whoever swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it. 21And anyone who 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 upon the throne. 23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay a tenth of your spices - mint, anise, dill and cummin, but omit (neglect) the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy, and faithfulness; these you should do; and yet not leave the others undone. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat, and then swallow a camel! 25Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed, extortion, and self-indulgence. 26You blind Pharisee, clean first the inside of the cup and dish, then they shall be clean inside and out. 27Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white-washed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful on the outside, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28In the same way, you also appear righteous outwardly to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. 29Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30And say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31Therefore, you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the descendants of those who killed the prophets. 32Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started. 33You serpents (snakes!), you brood of vipers, how can you hope to escape the damnation of hell?

34“Therefore, I am sending prophets to you, and wise men, and teachers; and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and others of them you shall scourge (flog) in your synagogues, and pursue them from city to city; 35So that upon you may come all the righteous blood that has been shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachiah (Berekiah), whom you murdered between the Temple and the altar (2 Chron.24:21). 36Truly I tell you, all these things shall come upon this generation. 37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone those who are sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not allow it! 38And now look, your house is abandoned and desolate. 39For I tell you, ‘You shall not see Me hereafter, until you say, “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.”’”