Matthew 23
The scripture text is the public-domain World English Bible. “Diesel the Magus Version” names this study edition, comparison system, and commentary lens—not a hidden rewrite of the biblical text.
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses' seat.
Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don't do their works; for they say, and don't do.
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.
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.
But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi, Rabbi' by men.
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
But don't you be called 'Rabbi,' for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
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.
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don't enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.
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.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves.
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.
"Woe to you, 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.'
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!
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?'
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who was living in it.
And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
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.
You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.
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.
You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside of it may become clean also.
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
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.
Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn't have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
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.
Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Therefore, behold, I send to 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;
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:
that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.
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.
Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
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!
Behold, your house is left to you desolate.
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
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.