Luke 11:37-54 - Pharisees And Legal Experts Denounced
37 When he had finished speaking a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so he went in with him and reclined. 38 And the Pharisee noticed, to his amazement, that he did not wash his hands before eating, 39 but the Lord said to him. "You Pharisee do cleanse the outside of your cup or plate, but your secret heart is full of extortion and wickedness. 40 "Foolish men! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 "Better cleanse what is within, and nothing will be unclean for you.
42 "But woe unto you Pharisee! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and disregard justice and the love of God; but these you ought to have done, and not leave the other undone.
43 "Woe unto you Pharisee! for you delight in the best seats in the synagogue, and in the salutation in the market-places.
44 "Woe unto you! for you are like the tombs which are hidden, and men walk over them unsuspecting."
45 Hereupon one of the lawyers exclaimed, "But teacher, in saying such things you are also reproaching us also."
46 "Woe unto you lawyers also!" said Jesus, "for you load men with irksome burdens, and you yourselves will not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
47 "Woe to you! for you are building the tombs of the prophets whom you ancestors killed. 48 "So you are witnesses, and you consent to the actions of your ancestors. for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 "For this reason also said the Wisdom of God. 'I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and some they will persecute; 50 "so that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required from this generation, 51 "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the alter and the sanctuary; yes; I tell you, it shall be required of this generation!
52 "Woe to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge!' You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who are trying to enter."
53 After he had gone away, the Scribes and the Pharisee began to set themselves vehemently against him, and to cross-question him upon many points, 54 laying in wait for him, in order to catch a word from his lips.