Matthew Chapter 23 (Index)

001  Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

002  Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

003  All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

004  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

005  But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

006  And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

007  And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

008  But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

009  And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

010  Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

011  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

012  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

013  But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

014  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

015  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

016  Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

017  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

018  And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

019  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

020  Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

021  And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

022  And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

023  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

024  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

025  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

026  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

027  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

028  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

029  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

030  And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

031  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

032  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

033  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

034  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

035  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

036  Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

037  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

038  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

039  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.