Woes to Scribes and Pharisees

(Luke 11:37–54)

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: 2 “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So observe and practice everything they tell you to observe.[fn] But {do} not do what they do, for vvv they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads[fn] and lay [them] on men’s shoulders, but they themselves vvv are not willing vvv to lift a finger to move them.

5 

All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.[fn] 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’[fn] by [which they are addressed].[fn]

8 

But you vvv are not to be called‘Rabbi,’ for you [have] one Teacher, the Christ,[fn] and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you [have] one Father, who [is] in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you [have] one Instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You defraud widows of [their] houses, and for a show {make} lengthy prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.[fn] 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces You yourselves vvv do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.[fn]

15 

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse [land] and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes [one], you make him twice as much a son of hell[fn] as you are.

16 

Woe to you, blind guides! [You] say,‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 [You] blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred 18 And [you say],‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 [You are] foolish and blind![fn] Which [is] greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred 20 So then, 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 the [One] who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the [One] who sits on it.

23 

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier [matters] of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.[fn]

25 

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and unrighteousness.[fn] 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish,[fn] so that the outside may become clean as well.

27 

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead [men’s] bones and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

29 

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. 30 And you say,‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, vvv vvv we would not have been partners with them in [shedding] the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are [the] sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up then,[fn] the measure [of the sin] of your fathers. 33 You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?

34 

Because of this I am sending you prophets and wise [men] and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and [others] you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all [the] righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

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