King James Version

The Book of Matthew

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1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that 1observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
4 For they 1bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 But all their works they do for to be 1seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the 2borders of their garments,
6 And 1love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
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 Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your 1Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called 1masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your 1servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be 1exalted.
13 But 1woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye 1devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of 1,ahell than yourselves.
16 Woe unto you, ye 1blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that 1sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that 1sanctifieth the gift?
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that 1dwelleth therein.
22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the 1throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of 1mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the 1cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto 1whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and ainiquity.
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the 1children of them which killed the prophets.
32 1Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye ageneration of 1vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of 2,bhell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall 1kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That 1upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the 2blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the 1prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 1Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
1 Psa 118:26, Matt 21:9
Notes on Chapter 23
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15 (a) "hell" = gehenna
See notes at Matt 5:22
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23 (a) "hell" = gehenna
See notes at Matt 5:22
Return to Verse 23
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28 (a) "iniquity" in this verse is from the Greek word "anomia", meaning "lawless" or "without law."
Verses with "anomia" are: Matt 7:23, Matt 13:41, Matt 23:28, Matt 24:12, Rom 4:7, Rom 6:19, 2nd Cor 6:14, 2nd Thess 2:7, Titus 2:14, Heb 1:9, Heb 8:12, Heb 10:17, 1st John 3:4
Return to Verse 28
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33 (a) generation = offspring (a) "hell" = gehenna
See notes at Matt 5:22
Return to Verse 33
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