Matthew:23

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples , * saying : "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses ' seat . * Therefore whatever they tell you to observe , that observe and do , but do not do according to their works ; for they say , and do not do . * For they bind heavy burdens , hard to bear , 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 and enlarge the borders of their garments . * They love the best places at feasts , the best seats in the synagogues , * greetings in the marketplaces , and to be called by men , "Rabbi , Rabbi .' * But you , do not be called "Rabbi '; for One is your Teacher , the Christ , and you are all brethren . * Do not call anyone on earth your father ; for One is your Father , He who is in heaven . * And do not be called teachers ; for One is your Teacher , the Christ . * But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant . * And whoever exalts himself will be humbled , and he who humbles himself will be exalted . * "But woe to you , scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites ! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men ; for you neither go in yourselves , nor do you allow those who are entering to go in . * Woe to you , scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites ! For you devour widows ' houses , and for a pretense make long prayers . Therefore you will receive greater condemnation . * "Woe to you , scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites ! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte , and when he is won , you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves . * "Woe to you , blind guides , who say , "Whoever swears by the temple , it is nothing ; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple , he is obliged to perform it .' * Fools and blind ! 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 obliged to perform it .' * Fools and blind ! For which is greater , the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift ? * Therefore he who swears by the altar , swears by it and by all things on it . * He who swears by the temple , swears by it and by Him who dwells in it . * And 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 pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin , and have neglected the weightier matters of the law : justice and mercy and faith . These you ought to have done , without leaving the others undone . * Blind guides , who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel ! * "Woe to you , scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites ! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish , but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence . * Blind Pharisee , first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish , that the outside of them may be clean also . * "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 all uncleanness . * Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men , but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness . * "Woe to you , scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites ! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous , * 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 .' * "Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets . * Fill up , then , the measure of your fathers ' guilt . * Serpents , brood of vipers ! How can you escape the condemnation of hell ? * Therefore , indeed , I send 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 Zechariah , son of Berechiah , whom you murdered between the temple and the altar . * Assuredly , I say to you , all these things will come upon this generation . * "O Jerusalem , Jerusalem , the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her ! How often I wanted to gather your children together , as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings , but you were not willing ! * See ! Your house is left to you desolate ; * for I say to you , you shall see Me no more till you say , "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD !"'

---