1 Then Jesus addressing himself to the people, and to his disciples,
2 said, the Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses's chair.
3 therefore whatever moral precepts they bid you observe, those observe and practise; but don't follow their example: for they preach one thing, and practise another.
4 for they load men with intolerable impositions, and will not take the least pains to ease them of the burthen: they do nothing but out of ostentation,
5 their phylacterys are broader, and the fringes of their garments are larger than those of others:
6 they affect the uppermost place at feasts, the principal chair in the synagogues,
7 to be saluted in publick places, and to have men address to them with the title of Doctor Doctor.
8 But don't you assume that title, for you have but one doctor, who is the Christ; as for you, you are all brethren alike.
9 don't stile any one among you, Father upon earth; for he alone is your father, who is in heaven.
10 neither take the title of masters, for you have but one master, who is the Messias.
11 he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 for whosoever exalts himself, shall be abased; and he that humbles himself, shall be exalted.
13 Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who prey upon the estates of widows, under the pretext of making long prayers; therefore ye shall be punish'd with the greater severity.
14 wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye not only refuse to go in your selves, but hinder those that would.
15 wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who ransack sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is gain'd, ye make him deserve Gehenna much more than your selves.
16 wo unto you, ye blind guides, who say, if any man swear by the temple he is under no obligation: but if he swear by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.
17 ye blind fools, which is most sacred, the treasure of the temple, or the temple that makes the treasure sacred?
18 again, if any one swear by the altar he is under no engagement but if he swear by the gift that is upon it, he is bound thereby.
19 ye blind fools, which is most sacred, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 whoever swears by the altar, swears not only by the altar, but by every thing upon it.
21 and whoever swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22 and he that swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
23 wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, but neglect those more important matters of the law, justice, mercy, and fidelity: these were the things ye ought to have practis'd, without neglecting however the other matters.
24 ye blind guides, who strain your liquor for a gnat, and swallow a beetle.
25 wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye clean the outside of the cup, and of the plate, but within they are full of rapine and impurity.
26 thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and plate, that the outside may be likewise clean.
27 wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye are like whited sepulchres, which to outward appearance are fine. but within are full of dead mens bones, and all sort of filth.
28 just so ye put on an air of probity in the sight of men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the just,
30 and say, if we had liv'd in the time of our forefathers, we would not have been accessory with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.
31 whereby you yourselves own that ye are indeed the children of those who killed the prophets,
32 children that can't fail to fill up the measure of your fathers iniquities.
33 ye serpents, ye brood of vipers, how can ye escape the punishment of Gehenna?
34 wherefore I shall send you prophets, and wise men, and Scribes; you will kill some, and crucify others, many will ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city.
35 so that you maybe charg'd with all the innocent blood shed upon earth, from the blood of Abel the just, unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 I declare unto you, all these things shall befall this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!
38 know, that your habitation shall be soon turned into a desert.
39 for I tell you, after a while, ye shall not see me again, till ye shall cry out, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."