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Matthew

Tells the story of Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection, emphasizing fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and connecting Him as the Messiah.

Chapter 23

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1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
*Then Jesus spoke to the large group of people and to his followers.
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
*They said, "The writers and the religious leaders are in the position of Moses."
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
*So, follow all the commands they give you, but don't imitate how they behave, because they tell you to do things but don't do them themselves.
4 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.
*They put difficult and heavy responsibilities on people, but they won't help lift them with even a finger.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
*But they do everything to show off to others; they make their religious charms bigger and their clothes' edges wider.
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
*Prefer sitting upstairs at parties and being in important places in the synagogue.
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
*"Hello in the marketplaces, and being called by people, 'Teacher, Teacher.'"
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
*Don't call anyone "Rabbi"; you only have one Master, Jesus; and everyone is like a brother or sister.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
*Don't address anyone as your father on Earth; you only have one Father in Heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
*Don't call anyone your master; instead, recognize that only Christ is your true Master.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
*But the one who is the biggest or most important should act as a helper to others.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
*Whoever boasts about themselves will be brought down; but those who are humble will be lifted up.
13 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.
*But be careful, religious teachers and Pharisees who pretend! You keep people from entering the kingdom of heaven because you don't let yourselves in, and you also don't allow those trying to enter.
14 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.
*Oh no, religious teachers who pretend to be good but aren't, you take away homes from vulnerable women and act like you're praying a lot. You will get an even worse punishment because of this.
15 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.
*Oh no, religious teachers who pretend! You travel far and wide trying to get people to join you, but once they do, you make them even worse than yourselves.
16 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!
*Oh no, you religious leaders who are blind, why do you say that swearing by the temple means nothing, but swearing by its gold makes someone in debt? It's not fair!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
*You foolish and blind people: which is more important, the gold, or the temple that makes the gold holy?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
*And whoever swears by the altar doesn't matter, but whoever swears by the offering on it is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
*You foolish and blind people: which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
*Whoever swears by the altar is making a promise using the altar and everything on it as a witness.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
*And whoever swears by the temple is swearing to both the temple and the one living inside it.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
*And whoever swears by heaven is swearing by God's throne and the one sitting on it.
23 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.
*Oh no, religious teachers and Pharisees who pretend! You carefully give a tenth of your herbs but ignore what's truly important: fairness, kindness, and trust. You should focus on these big things and not just the small stuff.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
*"You hypocritical leaders, who carefully focus on tiny details but ignore the bigger problems."
25 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.
*Oh no, religious teachers and Pharisees who pretend! You clean the outside of cups and dishes, but inside, you're filled with greed and too much of a good thing.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
*You hypocrite Pharisee, clean what's inside the cup and plate first, so the outside can be clean too.
27 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.
*Oh no, religious teachers who pretend to be good! You're like pretty tombs on the outside, but inside you're filled with dirty things and decaying bones.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
*Just like that, you seem good on the outside to others, but inside, you're filled with pretense and wrongdoing.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
*Oh no, religious teachers and Pharisees who pretend, you're in trouble! It's because you're building monuments for the prophets and decorating the graves of good people.
30 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.
*And say, if we were around when our ancestors lived, we wouldn't have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
*So, you show that you are their children because you kill the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
*Fill up, therefore, the degree of your ancestors.
33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
*Snakes, group of venomous snakes, how will you avoid hell's punishment?
34 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:
*So, I am sending you prophets, smart people, and writers. Some of them you will kill and put on crosses, and some you will whip in your meeting places and chase them from place to place.
35 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.
*May God's judgment fall on you for all the innocent blood shed on Earth, from Abel's death to Zacharias' son Barachias', which you killed near the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
*Truly, I tell you, all these events will happen to this generation.
37 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!
*O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those sent to you, how many times I wanted to bring your children together like a mother hen with her chicks, but you refused.
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
*Look, your home is now empty and alone.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
*I tell you, you won't see me again until you say, "Blessed is anyone who comes in the name of the Lord."
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