Matthew

Matthew 23 ©

1 Christ exhorteth to observe the doctrine, but not to follow the evil examples, of the scribes and Pharisees; and particularly not to imitate their ambition: 13 he pronounceth various woes against them for their blindness and hypocrisy: 34 and prophesieth the destruction of Jerusalem.

1

THEN aspake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

a Mar. 12.38-40. Lu. 20.45-47.
2

Saying, bThe scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

b ch. 2.4. v.13,15,23,27,29. Mal. 2.7. Ne. 8.4. De. 33.5. Ezr. 7.10.
3

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

c Ro. 13.1. Tit. 3.1. Is. 8.20. Jn. 5.39.
d 2Ti. 3.5. Tit. 1.16. Ro. 2.1,2,17-25.
4

eFor 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.

e Lu. 11.46. Is. 10.1. Ac. 15.10. Ga. 6.13.
5

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

f ch. 6.1-16.
g Nu. 15.38,39. De. 22.12; 6.8. Pr. 3.3.
h Ex. 13.9.
6

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

i Mar. 12.38,39. Lu. 11.43; 20.46. 3Jn. 9. Pr. 16.18; 29.23. Hab. 2.4.
7

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

8

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

j Ja. 3.1. 1Co. 3.4. ch. 17.5. 2Co. 1.24. 1Pe. 5.3,4.
k Jn. 13.13.
9

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

l Mal. 1.6. Jn. 6.45. ch. 5.16,48; 6.1,4,6,9,14,18,26,32; 7.11; 13.43; 19.17.
10

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

11

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

m ch. 20.26,27; 18.3,4; 11.29. Jn. 13.12-17. Phi. 2.4-8. He. 5.8. Mar. 9.35.
12

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

n Lu. 14.11; 18.14. Da. 4.37. Job 22.29. Pr. 29.23. Lu. 1.51,52. Ja. 4.6. 1Pe. 5.5. Pr. 15.33.
13

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

o Lu. 11.52. Eze. 22.25. 2Ti. 3.6. Tit. 1.11.
14

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

p Mar. 12.40. Lu. 20.47. 2Ti. 3.5,6. Tit. 1.11. Job 22.9.
q ch. 11.22,24. Lu. 12.47.
15

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

r Ga. 4.17. 2Ti. 3.6. Ac. 13.45; 14.2,19; 17.5,6,13.
s Ac. 2.10; 6.5.
t Jn. 8.44. Ac. 13.10. Ep. 2.3.
16

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

u Is. 56.10,11. ch. 15.14.
v ch. 5.33-35. Ja. 5.12. Je. 5.7. Eze. 21.23.
17

Ye wfools and blind: for *whether is greater, the gold, xor the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

w ch. 3.7; 12.34. Ps. 94.8. Jn. 8.44. Ac. 13.10; 23.3. ch. 5.22.
x Ex. 30.29; 29.37. v.19.
18

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is 1guilty.

19

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

y v.17. Ex. 29.37; 30.29.
20

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

21

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

z 1Ki. 8.13. 2Ch. 7.2; 6.2. Ps. 26.8; 132.13,14.
22

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

a ch. 5.34. Ps. 11.4. Is. 57.15; 66.1. Re. 4.2,3. Da. 7.9. Ac. 7.49.
23

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! bfor ye *pay tithe of mint and 2anise 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.

b Lu. 11.42. ch. 9.13; 12.7. 1Sa. 15.22. Je. 22.15,16. Ho. 6.6. Pr. 21.3. Mi. 6.8. Ga. 5.22,23.
24

Ye cblind guides, which dstrain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

c v.16,17.
d v.23. ch. 15.2-6. Jn. 18.28,40.
25

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

e Lu. 11.39. Mar. 7.4. ch. 15.19,20.
26

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

27

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

f Lu. 11.44. Ac. 23.3. ch. 7.15,21. Is. 58.2. Eze. 33.31. 2Ti. 3.5. Tit. 1.16.
g Nu. 19.16.
28

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

29

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

h Lu. 11.47-51.
i Lu. 11.25.
30

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

j v.34,37. 2Ch. 36.15,16. ch. 21.35,36; 22.6.
31

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

k Jos. 24.22. Lu. 19.22. Job 15.5,6. Ps. 64.8.
l Ac. 7.51,52. 1Th. 2.15. 2Ch. 36.16.
32

mFill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

m Je. 15.16. 1Th. 2.16. Ge. 15.16. Nu. 32.14. Ps. 69.27.
33

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

n ch. 3.7; 12.34. Jn. 8.44. Is. 1.15. He. 2.3; 10.29; 12.25,26.
34

¶Wherefore, behold, oI send unto you prophets, and wise men, and pscribes: 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:

o 2Ch. 36.15,16. Ne. 9.26. Lu. 11.49-51. ch. 10.17. Ac. 5.40; 7.51,52,59; 22.19; 8.4; 12.2; 21-25. 1Th. 2.15,16. 2Co. 11.24,25. Re. 18.24. He. 11.37.
p ch. 13.52.
35

That qupon 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.

q Ex. 20.5. Mi. 6.16. Ge. 9.5,6. Ps. 9.12. Ge. 4.8. 2Ch. 24.20-22. Zec. 1.1. Re. 18.24.
36

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

r Eze. 7.2-12; 12.21-28. ch. 24.34. 1Pe. 4.17,18.
37

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

s Lu. 19.42; 13.34,35. v.30,31,34. ch. 21.35,36; 22.6. 2Ch. 36.15,16; 24.21,22. Ne. 9.26. Ac. 7.52,59.
t De. 32.29. Ps. 81.10; 50.7. Lu. 19.42. De. 32.11,12. Ps. 17.8; 91.4.
u Ps. 69.26. Is. 1.7. Mi. 3.12. Ps. 81.11,12. Ho. 11.2,7. Pr. 1.24,25.
38

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39

For I say unto you, vYe shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, wBlessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

v Pr. 1.26-30. Jn. 8.21,24; 7.34. Lu. 21.24. Ho. 3.4,5.
w ch. 21.9. Ps. 118.26.