| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: | 1Then Jesus told the crowds and his disciples, |
| 2"The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. | 2"The scribes and the Pharisees administer the authority of Moses, |
| 3Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don't do what they do, because they don't practice what they teach. | 3So do whatever they tell you and follow it, but stop doing what they do, because they don't do what they say. |
| 4They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people's shoulders, but they themselves aren't willing to lift a finger to move them. | 4They 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. |
| 5They do everything to be observed by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. | 5"They do everything to be seen by people. They increase the size of their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. |
| 6They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, | 6They love to have the places of honor at festivals, the best seats in the synagogues, |
| 7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi by people. | 7to be greeted in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by people. |
| 8"But as for you, do not be called 'Rabbi,' because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. | 8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' because you have only one teacher, and all of you are brothers. |
| 9Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. | 9And don't call anyone on earth 'Father,' because you have only one Father, the one in heaven. |
| 10And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master, the Messiah. | 10Nor are you to be called 'Teachers,' because you have only one teacher, the Messiah! |
| 11The greatest among you will be your servant. | 11The person who is greatest among you must be your servant. |
| 12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. | 12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. |
| 13"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don't go in, and you don't allow those entering to go in. | 13"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door to the kingdom from 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. |
| 14"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows' houses and make long prayers just for show. This is why you will receive a harsher punishment. | 14"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows' houses and say long prayers to cover it up. Therefore, you will receive greater condemnation! |
| 15"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are! | 15"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make a single convert, and when this happens you make him twice as fit for hell as you are. |
| 16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.' | 16"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.' |
| 17Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold? | 17You blind fools! What is more important, the gold or the sanctuary that made the gold holy? |
| 18Also, Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.' | 18Again 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.' |
| 19Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? | 19You blind men! Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy? |
| 20Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. | 20Therefore, the one who swears an oath by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. |
| 21The one who takes an oath by the sanctuary takes an oath by it and by Him who dwells in it. | 21The one who swears an oath by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who lives there. |
| 22And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God's throne and by Him who sits on it. | 22And the one who swears an oath by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it. |
| 23"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. | 23"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! 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. |
| 24Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel! | 24You blind guides! You filter out a gnat, yet swallow a camel! |
| 25"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! | 25"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. |
| 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so the outside of it may also become clean. | 26You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that its outside may also be clean. |
| 27"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every impurity. | 27"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. |
| 28In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. | 28In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. |
| 29"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, | 29"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. |
| 30and you say, If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn't have taken part with them in shedding the prophets' blood.' | 30Then you say, 'If we had been living in the days of our ancestors, we would have had no part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' |
| 31You, therefore, testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. | 31Therefore, you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. |
| 32Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' sins! | 32Then finish what your ancestors started! |
| 33"Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? | 33You snakes, you children of serpents! How can you escape being condemned to hell? |
| 34This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town. | 34"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. |
| 35So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. | 35As a result, you will be held accountable for all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Berechiah's son Zechariah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. |
| 36I assure you: All these things will come on this generation! | 36I tell all of you with certainty, all these things will happen to those living today." |
| 37"Jerusalem, Jerusalem! She 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, yet you were not willing! | 37"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 were unwilling! |
| 38See, your house is left to you desolate. | 38Look! Your house is left abandoned! |
| 39For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One'!" | 39I 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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