Matthew 23:13-22, 24-39

“But woe (judgment is coming) to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are [in the process of] entering to do so. [Luke 11:52] [Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you swallow up widows’ houses, and to cover it up you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation.] “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte (convert to Judaism), and when he becomes a convert, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears [an oath]by the sanctuary of the temple, that is nothing (non-binding); but whoever swears [an oath]by the gold of the temple is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’ You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the sanctuary of the temple that sanctified the gold? [Ex 30:29] And [you scribes and Pharisees say], ‘Whoever swears [an oath]by the altar, that is nothing (non-binding), but whoever swears [an oath]by the offering on it, he is obligated [as a debtor to fulfill his vow and keep his promise].’ You [spiritually]blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? Therefore, whoever swears [an oath]by the altar, swears both by it and by everything [offered] on it. And whoever swears [an oath]by the sanctuary of the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells within it. [1 Kin 8:13; Ps 26:8] And whoever swears [an oath]by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]! [Lev 11:24; 27:30; Mic 6:8] “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed). You [spiritually]blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate [examine and change your inner self to conform to God’s precepts], so that the outside [your public life and deeds] may be clean also. “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. [Ps 5:9] “Woe to you, [self-righteous]scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets and decorate and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the [allotted] measure of the guilt of your fathers’ sins. You serpents, you spawn of vipers, how can you escape the penalty of hell? “Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city, so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. [Gen 4:8; 2 Chr 24:21; Luke 11:51] I assure you and most solemnly say to you, [the judgment for] all these things [these vile and murderous deeds] will come on this generation. [2 Chr 36:15, 16] “ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. [Luke 13:34, 35] Listen carefully: your house is being left to you desolate [completely abandoned by God and destitute of His protection]! [1 Kin 9:6, 7; Jer 22:5] For I say to you, you will not see Me again [ministering to you publicly] until you say, ‘BLESSED [to be celebrated with praise] IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ ” [Ps 118:26]

Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Matthew 23:13-22, 24-39