Study Desk

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,

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

saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.

Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

"And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

"And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

"And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,

And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people.

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

"But as for you, do not be called Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

"And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

"And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

"But the greatest of you shall be your servant.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.'

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

"You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

"And you say, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the offering that is on it is obligated.'

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

"You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

"Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

"And the one who swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells in it.

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

"And the one who swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

"You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

"You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

"So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,

Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

and you say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

"So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

"Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

"You snakes, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

"Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

so that upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

"Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

"Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

"For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'"

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.