Matthew 23:1-22

Matthew 23

Do Not Do As They Do

¹ Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples. ² He said, “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So practice and observe whatever they tell you. But do not do as they do, because they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy loads, burdens that are hard to carry, and place them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to help them. ⁵ They do all their works to be seen by people. They make their phylacteries ^[1] wide and lengthen the fringes of their garments. ⁶ They love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, ⁷ the greetings in the marketplaces, and being called ‘Rabbi’ by people. ⁸ But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ Also do not call anyone on earth your ‘Father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰ And you are not to be called ‘leaders,’ for you have one Leader, the Christ. ¹¹ But the greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Woes and Warnings

¹³ “But woe to you, experts in the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven right in front of people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor do you permit those who are trying to enter to do so. ^{[2] 15} Woe to you, experts in the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel the sea and the land to make one convert, and then when he is converted, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

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 obligated.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! After all, which is greater: the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? ¹⁸ And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’ ¹⁹ You blind men! After all, which is greater: the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ²⁰ So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it. ²¹ Also, whoever swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it. ²² And whoever swears by heaven, swears by God’s throne and by him who sits on it.