1902 Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR)

Matthew 23

1 Christ admonisheth the people to follow the good doctrine, not the evil examples of the scribes and Pharisees. 5 His disciples must beware of their ambition. 13 He denounceth eight woes against their hypocrisy and blindness: 34 and prophesieth of the destruction of Jerusalem.

 23:1 ¶ Then, Jesus spake unto the multitudes and unto his disciples,

 23:2 saying—Upon Moses' seat, have sat down, the Scribes and the Pharisees:

 23:3 All things, therefore, whatsoever they tell you, do and observe,—but, according to their works, do ye not, for they, say, and do not, perform.

 23:4 But they bind together heavy burdens, and lay upon men's shoulders, whereas, they, with their finger, are not willing to move them.

 23:5 But, all their works, they do, to be gazed at, by men,—for they make broad their amulets, and make large their fringes,

 23:6 And dearly love the first couch in the chief meals, and the first seats in the synagogues,

 23:7 And the salutations in the market-places, and to be called by men, Rabbi.

 23:8 But, ye,—do not be called Rabbi,—for, one, is your Teacher, and, all ye, are brethren;

 23:9 And, father, be none of you called, upon the earth, for, one, is your Father, the Heavenly;

 23:10 Neither be called leaders, for, your leader, is one, the Christ;

 23:11 And, the greatest of you, shall be to you, a minister;

 23:12 And, whoever shall exalt himself, shall be, abased, and, whoever shall abase himself, shall be, exalted,

 23:13 But alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye are locking up the kingdom of the heavens before men,—for, ye, are not entering, neither, them who are entering, suffer ye to enter.

 23:14 [Absent]

 23:15 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because ye compass sea and dry land, to make one convert—and, when it is done, ye make him a son of gehenna, twofold more than ye.

 23:16 Alas for you, blind guides! that say—Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, is bound:

 23:17 Foolish and blind! for which is, greater, The gold, or the Temple that hath hallowed the gold?

 23:18 And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is, nothing, but, whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is bound:

 23:19 Blind! for which is greater, The gift, or the altar that halloweth the gift?

 23:20 He therefore that hath sworn by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it;

 23:21 And, he that hath sworn by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth therein;

 23:22 And, he that hath sworn by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereupon.

 23:23 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye tithe the mint and the anise and the cummin,—and have dismissed the weightier matters of the law—the justice, the mercy, and the faith; whereas, these, it was binding, to do, and, those, not to, dismiss.

 23:24 Blind guides! Straining out the gnat, but, the camel, swallowing.

 23:25 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish,—while, within, they are full of plunder and intemperance.

 23:26 Blind Pharisee! cleanse, first, the inside, of the cup [and of the dish], that, the outside thereof, may become, clean.

 23:27 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye make yourselves like sepulchres whitewashed, which, outside, indeed, appear, beautiful, but, within, are full, of dead men's bones and all uncleanness,—

 23:28 Thus, ye also, outside, indeed, appear to men, righteous, but, within, are full, of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

 23:29 Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the righteous,

 23:30 and say—If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets:

 23:31 So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are, sons, of them who murdered the prophets.

 23:32 And, ye, fill ye up the measure of your fathers!

 23:33 Serpents! broods of vipers! how should ye flee from the judgment of gehenna?

 23:34 ¶ For this cause, lo! I, send unto you, prophets and wise men and scribes,—some from among them, ye will slay and crucify, And some from among them ye will—scourge in your synagogues, and pursue from city to city:

 23:35 That there may come upon you—all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.

 23:36 Verily, I say unto you—All these things, will have come, upon this generation.

 23:37 Jerusalem! Jerusalem! that slayeth the prophets, and stoneth them that have been sent unto her,—how often, would I have gathered thy children, like as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,—and ye would not!

 23:38 Lo! your house is left to you;

 23:39 For I say unto you—in no wise, may ye see me, henceforth, until ye say, Blessed, is he that cometh, in the name of the Lord!