16.
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples saying " On the seat of Moses sat the scribes and the Pharisees. Everything therefore
they may tell you, do it and keep it. But do not follow their example. For they say one thing and do not do it themselves. They bind heavy burdens and
put them on the shoulders of people. They are not willing to move these things with their finger. But all their works that they do, are to be seen by
others. They broaden their phylacteries and enlarge the fringes on their clothes. They like the chief place at suppers and the chief seats in the
synagogues. And in the marketplaces they like to be called "Rabbi". But as for you, do not be called "Rabbi". For you have one teacher (only) and
you are all brothers. And do not call somebody Father for you have the one Heavenly Father. Neither be called leaders because there is one leader of
you which is the Christ. The greater amongst you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled and the one who humbles himself shall
be exalted. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites. You shut the kingdom of the heavens before people. You do not enter it nor do you
allow others to enter it. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites. You go about the sea and the land to make one proselyte. And when he
becomes a convert you make him a son of gehenna twice more so than what you are yourselves. Woe to you leaders of the blind. You say swearing by
the shrine means nothing but those who swear by the gold of the shrine are bound by their oath. Fools and blind people. Which is greater, the gold or
the shrine (Temple) which makes the gold sacred. (You say) swearing by the altar means nothing but whoever swears by the gift upon the altar is bound
by his oath. Blind people. Which is greater, the gift or the altar which makes the gift sacred? Therefore whoever swears by the altar swears by it
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and everything upon it. The one swearing by the shrine (Temple) swears by it and those who inhabit it. The one swearing by heaven swears by the throne of
God and by the one who sits Upon this. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites. Because you tithe the mint and the dill and the cummin you
have neglected the weightier things of the law such as judgment and mercy and faith. It has behoved you to enact these things while not ignoring the others.
Blind leaders. You are the ones straining at the gnat but swallowing the camel. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites. You clean the
outside of the cup and the dish. But within these full of robbery and intemperance. Blind Pharisees. First cleanse the inside of the cup that the outside
of it may be clean. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites. You resemble graves that have been whitewashed. Outwardly these may indeed
appear beautiful but within they are full of the bones of dead people and all uncleannesses. Thus also you appear outwardly to others as being righteous.
But within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees. Hypocrites. You build the graves of the prophets and
adorn the monuments of the righteous and you say. "If we lived in the days of our fathers we would not have partaken in the blood of the prophets. So you
witness to yourselves that you are the sons of those who have killed the prophets. And you fulfil
the measure of your fathers. Serpents, offspring of vipers. How will you escape from the judgement of gehenna? Therefore behold I send prophets and
wise
men and scribes to you. You will kill and crucify them. You will scourge them in your synagogues and will persecute them from city to city. Therefore
what falls on you is all the blood of the righteous being shed on the earth going back to the blood of Abel the righteous until the blood of Zacharias
son
of Barachias whom you murdered between the shrine and the altar. Truly I tell you all these things will come on this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
the one killing the prophets and stoning those who have been sent to her. How often I have wished to gather your children as a bird gathers her young under
her wings and yet you did not want this. Behold what is left of your house to you? I tell you by no means will you see me from now until you say "Blessed
the one coming in the name of the Lord"
23:1-38
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