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23
Jesus Denounces Scribes and Pharisees
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat. 3 Therefore whatever they may say to you to observe, observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they do not desire to move them with their finger. 5 But all their works they do in order to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and they enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the first couch at banquets, and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brothers. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But the greatest of you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the kingdom of heaven before men; for you do not enter, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you travel around land and sea to make one proselyte, and whenever he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you.
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, is obligated.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, is obligated.’ 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he that swears by the altar, swears by it and by all the things on it. 21 He that swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwelt in it. 22 And he that swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the more important things of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not have neglected the others. 24 Blind guides, you who strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and unrighteousness. 26 Blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside of them may be clean also.
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 of all uncleanness. 28 Thus also you outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside 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, 30 and 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.’
31 “So that you testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets. 32 And you, fill up then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. 33 Serpents! Brood of vipers! How shall you escape from the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, behold, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and you will crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and you will persecute from city to city, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood being 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. 36 Assuredly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation.
Jesus Laments over Jerusalem
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I say to you, you shall by no means see Me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito