English Standard Version ESV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
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Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,
2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat,
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saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.
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Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.
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For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers
5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
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But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues
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They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.
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greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'
8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.
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But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.
9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
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Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.
10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.
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And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
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But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
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And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
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But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.
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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath. ’
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Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'
17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?
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Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath. ’
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And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'
19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
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Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift
20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
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Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.
21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it.
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He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it
22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
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And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
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Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
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Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.
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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
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Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,
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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
30 saying, ‘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. ’
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and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'
31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
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Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
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Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.
33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
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Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,
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Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
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that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the 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 say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
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Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
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"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
38 See, your house is left to you desolate.
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See! Your house is 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. ’”
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for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' "
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.