Jesus Condemns the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law of Moses
(Mark 12.38-40Luke 11.37-52Luke 20.45-47)1 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses. 3 So obey everything they teach you, but don't do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.
4 They pile heavy burdens on people's shoulders and won't lift a finger to help. 5 Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels for everyone to see. 6 They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues. 7 And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers.
8 But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. 9 Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. 10 None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. 11 Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. 12 If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.
13-14 You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You won't go in yourselves, and you keep others from going in.
15 You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You travel over land and sea to win one follower. And when you have done so, you make that person twice as fit for hell as you are.
16 You are in for trouble! You are supposed to lead others, but you are blind. You teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the temple. But you say it does matter if someone swears by the gold in the temple. 17 You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 You also teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the altar. But you say it does matter if someone swears by the gift on the altar. 19 Are you blind? Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Anyone who swears by the altar also swears by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple also swears by God, who lives there. 22 To swear by heaven is the same as swearing by God's throne and by the one who sits on that throne.
23 You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your garden, such as mint, dill, and cumin. Yet you neglect the more important matters of the Law, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the important things you should have done, though you should not have left the others undone either. 24 You blind leaders! You strain out a small fly but swallow a camel.
25 You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You wash the outside of your cups and dishes, while inside there is nothing but greed and selfishness. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of a cup, and then the outside will also be clean.
27 You Pharisees and teachers are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You're like tombs that have been whitewashed. On the outside they are beautiful, but inside they are full of bones and filth. 28 That's what you are like. Outside you look good, but inside you are evil and only pretend to be good.
29 You Pharisees and teachers are nothing but show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You build monuments for the prophets and decorate the tombs of good people. 30 And you claim you would not have taken part with your ancestors in killing the prophets. 31 But you prove you really are the relatives of the ones who killed the prophets. 32 So keep on doing everything they did. 33 You are nothing but snakes and the children of snakes! How can you escape going to hell?
34 I will send to you prophets and wise people and experts in the Law of Moses. You will kill them or nail them to a cross or beat them in your synagogues or chase them from town to town. 35 That's why you will be held guilty for the murder of every good person, beginning with the good man Abel. This also includes Barachiah's son Zechariah, the man you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I can promise that you people living today will be punished for all these things!
Jesus Loves Jerusalem
(Luke 13.34Luke 35)37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed the prophets and have stoned the messengers who were sent to you. I have often wanted to gather your people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you wouldn't let me. 38 And now your temple will be deserted. 39 You won't see me again until you say,
“Blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord.”
1 Then spake Iesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The Scribes and the Pharises sit in Moses seate. 3 All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue, that obserue and doe: but after their workes doe not: for they say, and doe not. 4 For they binde heauie burdens, and grieuous to be borne, and lay them on mens shoulders, but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers. 5 All their workes they doe for to be seene of men: for they make their phylacteries broad, and make long the frindges of their garments, 6 And loue the chiefe place at feastes, and to haue the chiefe seates in the assemblies, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called, Rabbi: for one is your doctour, to wit, Christ, and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father vpon the earth: for there is but one, your father which is in heauen. 10 Be not called doctours: for one is your doctour, euen Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you, let him be your seruant. 12 For whosoeuer will exalt himselfe, shall be brought lowe: and whosoeuer will humble himselfe, shalbe exalted. 13 Wo therefore be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites, because ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men: for ye your selues go not in, neither suffer ye them that would enter, to come in. 14 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye deuoure widowes houses, euen vnder a colour of long prayers: wherefore ye shall receiue the greater damnation. 15 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession: and when he is made, ye make him two folde more the childe of hell, then you your selues. 16 Wo be vnto you blinde guides, which say, Whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the golde of the Temple, he offendeth. 17 Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the golde, or the Temple that sanctifieth the golde? 18 And whosoeuer sweareth by the altar, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the offering that is vpon it, offendeth. 19 Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the offering, or the altar which sanctifieth the offering? 20 Whosoeuer therefore sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21 And whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22 And he that sweareth by heauen, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 23 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye tithe mynt, and annyse, and cummyn, and leaue the weightier matters of the law, as iudgement, and mercy and fidelitie. These ought ye to haue done, and not to haue left the other. 24 Ye blinde guides, which straine out a gnat, and swallowe a camell. 25 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup, and of the platter: but within they are ful of briberie and excesse. 26 Thou blinde Pharise, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be cleane also. 27 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye are like vnto whited tombes, which appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and all filthines. 28 So are ye also: for outwarde ye appeare righteous vnto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie. 29 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye build the tombes of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had bene in the dayes of our fathers, we would not haue bene partners with them in the blood of the Prophets. 31 So then ye be witnesses vnto your selues, that ye are the children of them that murthered the Prophets. 32 Fulfill ye also ye measure of your fathers. 33 O serpents, the generation of vipers, howe should ye escape the damnation of hell! 34 Wherefore beholde, I send vnto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes, and of them ye shall kill and crucifie: and of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from citie to citie, 35 That vpon you may come all the righteous blood that was shed vpon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, vnto the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whome ye slewe betweene the Temple and the altar. 36 Verely I say vnto you, all these things shall come vpon this generation. 37 Hierusalem, Hierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee, how often would I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her wings, and ye would not! 38 Beholde, your habitation shalbe left vnto you desolate, 39 For I say vnto you, ye shall not see mee henceforth till that ye say, Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord.