The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 23 -

(Luke 11:37–54)

Then spake Iesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Saying, The Scribes and the Pharises sit in Moses seate.

All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue, that obserue and doe: but after their workes doe not: for they say, and doe not.

For they binde heauie burdens, and grieuous to be borne, and lay them on mens shoulders, but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers.

All their workes they doe for to be seene of men: for they make their phylacteries broad, and make long the frindges of their garments,

And loue the chiefe place at feastes, and to haue the chiefe seates in the assemblies,

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

But be not ye called, Rabbi: for one is your doctour, to wit, Christ, and all ye are brethren.

And call no man your father vpon the earth: for there is but one, your father which is in heauen.

Be not called doctours: for one is your doctour, euen Christ.

But he that is greatest among you, let him be your seruant.

For whosoeuer will exalt himselfe, shall be brought lowe: and whosoeuer will humble himselfe, shalbe exalted.

Wo therefore be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites, because ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men: for ye your selues go not in, neither suffer ye them that would enter, to come in.

Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye deuoure widowes houses, euen vnder a colour of long prayers: wherefore ye shall receiue the greater damnation.

Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession: and when he is made, ye make him two folde more the childe of hell, then you your selues.

Wo be vnto you blinde guides, which say, Whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the golde of the Temple, he offendeth.

Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the golde, or the Temple that sanctifieth the golde?

And whosoeuer sweareth by the altar, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the offering that is vpon it, offendeth.

Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the offering, or the altar which sanctifieth the offering?

Whosoeuer therefore sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

And whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

And he that sweareth by heauen, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye tithe mynt, and annyse, and cummyn, and leaue the weightier matters of the law, as iudgement, and mercy and fidelitie. These ought ye to haue done, and not to haue left the other.

Ye blinde guides, which straine out a gnat, and swallowe a camell.

Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup, and of the platter: but within they are ful of briberie and excesse.

Thou blinde Pharise, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be cleane also.

Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye are like vnto whited tombes, which appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and all filthines.

So are ye also: for outwarde ye appeare righteous vnto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie.

Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye build the tombes of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

And say, If we had bene in the dayes of our fathers, we would not haue bene partners with them in the blood of the Prophets.

So then ye be witnesses vnto your selues, that ye are the children of them that murthered the Prophets.

Fulfill ye also ye measure of your fathers.

O serpents, the generation of vipers, howe should ye escape the damnation of hell!

Wherefore beholde, I send vnto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes, and of them ye shall kill and crucifie: and of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from citie to citie,

That vpon you may come all the righteous blood that was shed vpon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, vnto the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whome ye slewe betweene the Temple and the altar.

Verely I say vnto you, all these things shall come vpon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

(Luke 13:31–35)

Hierusalem, Hierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee, how often would I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her wings, and ye would not!

Beholde, your habitation shalbe left vnto you desolate,

For I say vnto you, ye shall not see mee henceforth till that ye say, Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord.

(Luke 11:37–54)

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,

saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on 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.

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.

But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries (a) broad and enlarge the fringes (b) of their garments,

and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ (c) by men.

But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.

But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will 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 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. (d)

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 a son of Gehenna (e) as 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.’

You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’

You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it.

He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living (f) in it.

He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, (g) 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.

You blind guides, who strain out 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. (h)

You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become 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.

Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you 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,

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.’

Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.

Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna? (i)

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,

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.

Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

(Luke 13:31–35)

“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!

Behold, your house is left to 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!’” (j)

Footnotes

(a)23:5 phylacteries (tefillin in Hebrew) are small leather pouches that some Jewish men wear on their forehead and arm in prayer. They are used to carry a small scroll with some Scripture in it. See Deuteronomy 6:8 .

(b)23:5 or, tassels

(d)23:14 Some Greek texts reverse the order of verses 13 and 14, and some omit verse 13, numbering verse 14 as 13. NU omits verse 14.

(e)23:15 or, Hell

(f)23:21 NU reads “lives”

(g)23:23 cumin is an aromatic seed from Cuminum cyminum, resembling caraway in flavor and appearance. It is used as a spice.

(h)23:25 TR reads “self-indulgence” instead of “unrighteousness”

(i)23:33 or, Hell

(j)23:39 ℘ Psalms 118:26