Matthew 23:23-39

English Standard Version

²³^(A)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ^(B)you tithe mint and dill and ^(C)cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: ^(D)justice and mercy and faithfulness. ^(E)These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. ²⁴You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing ^(F)a camel!

²⁵^(G)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ^(H)you clean the outside of ^(I)the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of ^(J)greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of ^(K)the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

²⁷^(L)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like ^(M)whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and ^(N)all uncleanness. ²⁸So you also ^(O)outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of ^(P)hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹^(Q)“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹Thus you witness against yourselves that you are ^(R)sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³²^(S)Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. ³³You serpents, ^(T)you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to ^(U)hell? ³⁴^(V)Therefore ^(W)I send you ^(X)prophets and wise men and ^(Y)scribes, ^(Z)some of whom you will kill and crucify, and ^(AA)some you will ^(AB)flog in your synagogues and ^(AC)persecute from town to town, ³⁵so that on you may come all ^(AD)the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous ^(AE)Abel to the blood of ^(AF)Zechariah the son of Barachiah,^[a] whom you murdered between ^(AG)the sanctuary and ^(AH)the altar. ³⁶Truly, I say to you, ^(AI)all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

³⁷^(AJ)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that ^(AK)kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have ^(AL)gathered ^(AM)your children together ^(AN)as a hen gathers her brood ^(AO)under her wings, and ^(AP)you were not willing! ³⁸See, ^(AQ)your house is left to you desolate. ³⁹For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ^(AR)‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”