Matthew 23

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then addressing the crowds and his disciples Jesus said,	1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 'The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses.	2 saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
3 You must therefore do and observe what they tell you; but do not be guided by what they do, sincethey do not practise what they preach.	3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.
4 They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders, but wil they lift a finger to move them?Not they!	4 They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.
5 Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader headbands and longer tassels,	5 All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
6 like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues,	6 They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
7 being greeted respectful y in the market squares and having people cal them Rabbi.	7 greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
8 'You, however, must not al ow yourselves to be cal ed Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and youare al brothers.	8 As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
9 You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.	9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.
10 Nor must you al ow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.	10 Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah.
11 The greatest among you must be your servant.	11 The greatest among you must be your servant.
12 Anyone who raises himself up wil be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself wil be raised up.	12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut up the kingdom of Heaven in people'sfaces, neither going in yourselves nor al owing others to go who want to.	13 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
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15 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over sea and land to make a singleproselyte, and anyone who becomes one you make twice as fit for hel as you are.	15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves.
16 'Alas for you, blind guides! You say, "If anyone swears by the Temple, it has no force; but anyonewho swears by the gold of the Temple is bound."	16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'
17 Fools and blind! For which is of greater value, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?	17 Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred?
18 Again, "If anyone swears by the altar it has no force; but anyone who swears by the offering on thealtar, is bound."	18 And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.'
19 You blind men! For which is of greater worth, the offering or the altar that makes the offering sacred?	19 You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 Therefore, someone who swears by the altar is swearing by that and by everything on it.	20 One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
21 And someone who swears by the Temple is swearing by that and by the One who dwel s in it.	21 one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it;
22 And someone who swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seatedthere.	22 one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.
23 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay your tithe of mint and dill and cumminand have neglected the weightier matters of the Law-justice, mercy, good faith! These you should havepractised, those not neglected.	23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. (But) these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
24 You blind guides, straining out gnats and swal owing camels!	24 Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!
25 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of cup and dish and leavethe inside full of extortion and intemperance.	25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
26 Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that it and the outside are both clean.	26 Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.
27 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that lookhandsome on the outside, but inside are ful of the bones of the dead and every kind of corruption.	27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.
28 In just the same way, from the outside you look upright, but inside you are ful of hypocrisy andlawlessness.	28 Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
29 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build the sepulchres of the prophets anddecorate the tombs of the upright,	29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
30 saying, "We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in ourancestors' day."	30 and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood.'
31 So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the children of those who murdered the prophets!	31 Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;
32 Very well then, finish off the work that your ancestors began.	32 now fill up what your ancestors measured out!
33 'You serpents, brood of vipers, how can you escape being condemned to hell?	33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how can you flee from the judgment of Gehenna?
34 This is why -- look -- I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some you will slaughterand crucify, some you wil scourge in your synagogues and hunt from town to town;	34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and pursue from town to town,
35 and so you wil draw down on yourselves the blood of every upright person that has been shed onearth, from the blood of Abel the holy to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah whom you murdered betweenthe sanctuary and the altar.	35 so that there may come upon you all the righteous blood shed upon earth, from the righteous blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
36 In truth I tel you, it wil al recoil on this generation.	36 Amen, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
37 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How oftenhave I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you refused!	37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling!
38 Look! Your house wil be deserted,	38 Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate.
39 for, I promise, you shal not see me any more until you are saying: Blessed is he who is coming in thename of the Lord!'	39 I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"