1 ¶ Then Jesus said to the crowd, and to his disciples,

2 The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

3 Therefore observe and practice whatever they tell you; but do not do what they do: for they do not do what they say.

4 For they bind heavy burdens that are hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they will not move them with one of their fingers.

5 But everything they do they do for men to see: they broaden their phylacteries, and enlarge the tassels of their garments,

6 And love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7 And to be greeted with honor in the marketplace, and to have men call them, Rabbi, that is Master.

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

9 And do not call anyone on earth father: for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

10 Nor are you to be called masters: for you have one Master, even Christ.

11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

12 And whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled; and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

13 ¶ But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven to men: for you do not go in, nor will you allow those who are entering to go in.

14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore you will receive the greater damnation.

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

16 Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple, is a debtor!

17 You fools and blind: which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18 And, If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift that is upon it, is morally obligated.

19 You fools and blind: which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.

21 And he who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who dwells in it.

22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits thereon.

23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, but have omitted the more important matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these are the things you should have done, without leaving the others undone.

24 You blind guides, who strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

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

26 You blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and platter, so that the outside may be clean also.

27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, that truly appear beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness.

28 Thus you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the graves of the righteous,

30 And say, If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.

31 Therefore you testify against yourselves, that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets.

32 Finish then what your fathers started.

33 You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?

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

35 That all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you slew between the temple and the altar, may come upon you.

36 I tell you truly, All these things will come upon this generation.

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets, and stone those who are sent to you, how often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

38 Behold, your house is being left to you desolate.

39 For I tell you, You will not see me again, until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.