Matthew:23

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* Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples , * “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses ’ seat . * So do whatever they tell you and follow it , but stop doing what they do , because they don 't do what they say . * They tie up burdens that are heavy and unbearable and lay them on people 's shoulders , but they refuse to lift a finger to remove them . * “They do all their actions to be seen by people . They increase the size of their phylacteriesand lengthen the tassels of their garments . * They love to have the places of honor at feasts , the best seats in the synagogues , * to be greeted in the marketplaces , and to be called ‘Rabbi ’by people . * “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi ,’for you have only one teacher , and all of you are brothers . * And don 't call anyone on earth ‘Father ,’ for you have only one Father , the one in heaven . * Nor are you to be called ‘Teachers ,’ for you have only one teacher , the Christ ! * The person who is greatest among you must be your servant . * Whoever exalts himself will be humbled , and whoever humbles himself will be exalted . * “How terrible it will be for you , scribes and Pharisees , you hypocrites ! You shut the door to the kingdom of heaven in people 's faces . You don 't go in yourselves , and you don 't allow those who are trying to enter to go in . * “How terrible it will be for you , scribes and Pharisees , you hypocrites ! You travel over sea and land to make a single convert , and when this happens you make him twice as fit forhellas you are . * “How terrible it will be for you , blind guides ! You say , ‘Whoever swears an oath by the sanctuary is excused ,but whoever swears an oath by the gold of the sanctuary must keep his oath .’ * You blind fools ! What is more important , the gold or the sanctuary that made the gold holy ? * Again you say ,‘Whoever swears an oath by the altar is excused ,but whoever swears by the gift that is on it must keep his oath .’ * You blind men !Which is more important , the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy ? * Therefore , the one who swears an oath by the altar swears by it and by everything on it . * The one who swears an oath by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who lives there . * And the one who swears an oath by heaven swears by God 's throne and by the one who sits on it . * “How terrible it will be for you , scribes and Pharisees , you hypocrites ! For you give a tenth of your mint , dill , and cummin , but have neglected the more important matters of the law : justice , mercy , and faithfulness .These are the things you should have practiced , without neglecting the others . * You blind guides ! You filter out a gnat , yet swallow a camel ! * “How terrible it will be for you , scribes and Pharisees , you hypocrites ! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate , but on the inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence . * You blind Pharisee ! First clean the inside of the cup ,so that its outside may also be clean . * “How terrible it will be for you , scribes and Pharisees , you hypocrites ! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead people 's bones and every kind of impurity . * In the same way , on the outside you look righteous to people , but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness . * “How terrible it will be for you , scribes and Pharisees , you hypocrites ! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous . * Then you say , ‘If we had been living in the days of our ancestors , we would have had no part with them in sheddingthe blood of the prophets .’ * Therefore , you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets . * Then finish what your ancestors started ! * You snakes , you children of serpents ! How can you escape being condemned to hell ? * “That is why I am sending you prophets , wise men , and scribes . Some of them you will kill and crucify , and some of them you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from town to town . * As a result , you will be held accountable forall the righteous blood shed on earth , from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah , the son of Berechiah , whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar . * Truly I tell you , all these things will happen to this generation .” * “O Jerusalem , Jerusalem , who kills the prophets and stones to death those who have been sent to her ! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings , but you didn 't want to ! * Look ! Your house is left to you deserted ! * For I tell you , you will not see me again until you say , ‘How blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord !’”

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