42
"I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God's love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required.
43
"You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You love sitting at the head table at church dinners, love preening yourselves in the radiance of public flattery.
44
Frauds! You're just like unmarked graves: People walk over that nice, grassy surface, never suspecting the rot and corruption that is six feet under."
45
One of the religion scholars spoke up: "Teacher, do you realize that in saying these things you're insulting us?"
46
He said, "Yes, and I can be even more explicit. You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs, but never lift even a finger to help.
47
"You're hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed.
48
The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets.
49
That accounts for God's Wisdom saying, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, but they'll kill them and run them off.'
50
What it means is that every drop of righteous blood ever spilled from the time earth began until now,.
51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was struck down between altar and sanctuary, is on your heads. Yes, it's on the bill of this generation and this generation will pay.
52
"You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won't go in yourself, and won't let anyone else in either."