Thematic Bible: Self-righteousness


Thematic Bible






the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer; I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things -- as many as I possess.

And no one having lighted a lamp, doth put it in a secret place, nor under the measure, but on the lamp-stand, that those coming in may behold the light. 'The lamp of the body is the eye, when then thine eye may be simple, thy whole body also is lightened; and when it may be evil, thy body also is darkened; take heed, then, lest the light that is in thee be darkness; read more.
if then thy whole body is lightened, not having any part darkened, the whole shall be lightened, as when the lamp by the brightness may give thee light.' And in his speaking, a certain Pharisee was asking him that he might dine with him, and having gone in, he reclined (at meat), and the Pharisee having seen, did wonder that he did not first baptize himself before the dinner. And the Lord said unto him, 'Now do ye, the Pharisees, the outside of the cup and of the plate make clean, but your inward part is full of rapine and wickedness; unthinking! did not He who made the outside also the inside make? But what ye have give ye as alms, and, lo, all things are clean to you. 'But woe to you, the Pharisees, because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb, and ye pass by the judgment, and the love of God; these things it behoveth to do, and those not to be neglecting. 'Woe to you, the Pharisees, because ye love the first seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the market-places. 'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye are as the unseen tombs, and the men walking above have not known.' And one of the lawyers answering, saith to him, 'Teacher, these things saying, us also thou dost insult;' and he said, 'And to you, the lawyers, woe! because ye burden men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves with one of your fingers do not touch the burdens. 'Woe to you, because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Then do ye testify, and are well pleased with the works of your fathers, because they indeed killed them, and ye do build their tombs; because of this also the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets, and apostles, and some of them they shall kill and persecute, that the blood of all the prophets, that is being poured forth from the foundation of the world, may be required from this generation; from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the house; yes, I say to you, It shall be required from this generation. 'Woe to you, the lawyers, because ye took away the key of the knowledge; yourselves ye did not enter; and those coming in, ye did hinder.' And in his speaking these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began fearfully to urge and to press him to speak about many things, laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

They answered him, 'Seed of Abraham we are; and to no one have we been servants at any time; how dost thou say -- Ye shall become free?' Jesus answered them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you -- Every one who is committing sin, is a servant of the sin, and the servant doth not remain in the house -- to the age, the son doth remain -- to the age; read more.
if then the son may make you free, in reality ye shall be free. 'I have known that ye are seed of Abraham, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you; I -- that which I have seen with my Father do speak, and ye, therefore, that which ye have seen with your father -- ye do.' They answered and said to him, 'Our father is Abraham;' Jesus saith to them, 'If children of Abraham ye were, the works of Abraham ye were doing; and now, ye seek to kill me -- a man who hath spoken to you the truth I heard from God; this Abraham did not; ye do the works of your father.' They said, therefore, to him, 'We of whoredom have not been born; one Father we have -- God;' Jesus then said to them, 'If God were your father, ye were loving me, for I came forth from God, and am come; for neither have I come of myself, but He sent me; wherefore do ye not know my speech? because ye are not able to hear my word. Ye are of a father -- the devil, and the desires of your father ye will to do; he was a man-slayer from the beginning, and in the truth he hath not stood, because there is no truth in him; when one may speak the falsehood, of his own he speaketh, because he is a liar -- also his father. 'And because I say the truth, ye do not believe me. Who of you doth convict me of sin? and if I speak truth, wherefore do ye not believe me? he who is of God, the sayings of God he doth hear; because of this ye do not hear, because of God ye are not.' The Jews, therefore, answered and said to him, 'Do we not say well, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a demon?' Jesus answered, 'I have not a demon, but I honour my Father, and ye dishonour me; and I do not seek my own glory; there is who is seeking and is judging; verily, verily, I say to you, If any one may keep my word, death he may not see -- to the age.' The Jews, therefore, said to him, 'Now we have known that thou hast a demon; Abraham did die, and the prophets, and thou dost say, If any one may keep my word, he shall not taste of death -- to the age! Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who died? and the prophets died; whom dost thou make thyself?' Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who is glorifying me, of whom ye say that He is your God; and ye have not known Him, and I have known Him, and if I say that I have not known Him, I shall be like you -- speaking falsely; but I have known Him, and His word I keep; Abraham, your father, was glad that he might see my day; and he saw, and did rejoice.' The Jews, therefore, said unto him, 'Thou art not yet fifty years old, and Abraham hast thou seen?' Jesus said to them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, Before Abraham's coming -- I am;' they took up, therefore, stones that they may cast at him, but Jesus hid himself, and went forth out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

They reviled him, therefore, and said, 'Thou art his disciple, and we are Moses' disciples; we have known that God hath spoken to Moses, but this one -- we have not known whence he is.' The man answered and said to them, 'Why, in this is a wonderful thing, that ye have not known whence he is, and he opened my eyes! read more.
and we have known that God doth not hear sinners, but, if any one may be a worshipper of God, and may do His will, him He doth hear; from the age it was not heard, that any one did open eyes of one who hath been born blind; if this one were not from God, he were not able to do anything.' They answered and said to him, 'In sins thou wast born altogether, and thou dost teach us!' and they cast him forth without.

'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye make clean the outside of the cup and the plate, and within they are full of rapine and incontinence. 'Blind Pharisee! cleanse first the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside of them also may become clean. 'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye are like to whitewashed sepulchres, which outwardly indeed do appear beautiful, and within are full of bones of dead men, and of all uncleanness; read more.
so also ye outwardly indeed do appear to men righteous, and within ye are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

And the Lord said unto him, 'Now do ye, the Pharisees, the outside of the cup and of the plate make clean, but your inward part is full of rapine and wickedness; unthinking! did not He who made the outside also the inside make? But what ye have give ye as alms, and, lo, all things are clean to you. read more.
'But woe to you, the Pharisees, because ye tithe the mint, and the rue, and every herb, and ye pass by the judgment, and the love of God; these things it behoveth to do, and those not to be neglecting. 'Woe to you, the Pharisees, because ye love the first seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the market-places. 'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because ye are as the unseen tombs, and the men walking above have not known.'



And the Pharisee who did call him, having seen, spake within himself, saying, 'This one, if he were a prophet, would have known who and of what kind is the woman who doth touch him, that she is a sinner.' Verse ConceptsSinnersUncharitablenessChrist Knowing About PeopleSoliloquyWho Is This?What Kind?Jesus The Prophet

and the Pharisees having seen, said to his disciples, 'Wherefore with the tax-gatherers and sinners doth your teacher eat?' And Jesus having heard, said to them, 'They who are whole have no need of a physician, but they who are ill; but having gone, learn ye what is, Kindness I will, and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call righteous men, but sinners, to reformation.'




Who are saying, 'Keep to thyself, come not nigh to me, For I have declared thee unholy.' These are a smoke in Mine anger, A fire burning all the day. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfNosesPrejudicePride, Examples OfSmokeHypocrites, Description OfFire Of EvilAll DayHolier Than ThouChanging YourselfsmokingSmoke Used Poetically

And lo, a certain lawyer stood up, trying him, and saying, 'Teacher, what having done, life age-during shall I inherit?' Verse ConceptsLawyersInheritance, SpiritualSeeking LifeTesting ChristDoing God's WorksTests

And he, willing to declare himself righteous, said unto Jesus, 'And who is my neighbour?' Verse ConceptsJustification, Necessity OfPride, Examples OfSelf Righteousness, Nature OfWho Is The One?Man VindicatesNeighbours

yes, indeed, and I count all things to be loss, because of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom of the all things I suffered loss, and do count them to be refuse, that Christ I may gain, and be found in him, not having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith of Christ -- the righteousness that is of God by the faith, to know him, and the power of his rising again, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, read more.
if anyhow I may attain to the rising again of the dead.

But what things were to me gains, these I have counted, because of the Christ, loss; yes, indeed, and I count all things to be loss, because of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom of the all things I suffered loss, and do count them to be refuse, that Christ I may gain, and be found in him, not having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through faith of Christ -- the righteousness that is of God by the faith, read more.
to know him, and the power of his rising again, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye are like to whitewashed sepulchres, which outwardly indeed do appear beautiful, and within are full of bones of dead men, and of all uncleanness; so also ye outwardly indeed do appear to men righteous, and within ye are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

'Thou dost not speak in thy heart (in Jehovah thy God's driving them away from before thee), saying, For my righteousness hath Jehovah brought me in to possess this land, seeing for the wickedness of these nations is Jehovah dispossessing them from thy presence; Verse ConceptsRetributionSelf Righteousness, Nature OfWhy It Happened


And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, 'Blessed art thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.' Verse ConceptsLying, Examples OfSalutationsI Keep The Commandmentssaul



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. Verse ConceptsSheddingAncestorsKilling ProphetsProphets KilledTimes Of People

'Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer; the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer; I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things -- as many as I possess.

I declare thy righteousness, and thy works, And they do not profit thee. Verse ConceptsUnprofitable Sins

And Samuel cometh in unto Saul, and Saul saith to him, 'Blessed art thou of Jehovah; I have performed the word of Jehovah.' And Samuel saith, 'And what is the noise of this flock in mine ears -- and the noise of the herd which I am hearing?' And Saul saith, 'From Amalek they have brought them, because the people had pity on the best of the flock, and of the herd, in order to sacrifice to Jehovah thy God, and the remnant we have devoted.' read more.
And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'Desist, and I declare to thee that which Jehovah hath spoken unto me to-night;' and he saith to him, 'Speak.' And Samuel saith, 'Art not thou, if thou art little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel, and Jehovah sendeth thee in the way, and saith, Go, and thou hast devoted the sinners, the Amalekite, and fought against them till they are consumed; and why hast thou not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah -- and dost fly unto the spoil, and dost do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah?' And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'Because -- I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, and I go in the way which Jehovah hath sent me, and bring in Agag king of Amalek, and Amalek I have devoted; and the people taketh of the spoil of the flock and herd, the first part of the devoted thing, for sacrifice to Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.' And Samuel saith, 'Hath Jehovah had delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? lo, hearkening than sacrifice is better; to give attention than fat of rams; for a sin of divination is rebellion, and iniquity and teraphim is stubbornness; because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, He also doth reject thee from being king.' And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice; and now, bear, I pray thee, with my sin, and turn back with me, and I bow myself to Jehovah.' And Samuel saith unto Saul, 'I do not turn back with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth reject thee from being king over Israel.' And Samuel turneth round to go, and he layeth hold on the skirt of his upper robe -- and it is rent! And Samuel saith unto him, 'Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee to-day, and given it to thy neighbour who is better than thou; and also, the Pre-eminence of Israel doth not lie nor repent, for He is not a man to be penitent.' And he saith, 'I have sinned; now, honour me, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn back with me; and I have bowed myself to Jehovah thy God.' And Samuel turneth back after Saul, and Saul boweth himself to Jehovah;

And he spake also unto certain who have been trusting in themselves that they were righteous, and have been despising the rest, this simile: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer; the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer; read more.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things -- as many as I possess. And the tax-gatherer, having stood afar off, would not even the eyes lift up to the heaven, but was smiting on his breast, saying, God be propitious to me -- the sinner! I say to you, this one went down declared righteous, to his house, rather than that one: for every one who is exalting himself shall be humbled, and he who is humbling himself shall be exalted.'


If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands, Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.

for not knowing the righteousness of God, and their own righteousness seeking to establish, to the righteousness of God they did not submit. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfLegalismSelf Righteousness, Nature OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSpiritual IgnoranceTrusting In WorksSeeking For Abstract ThingsIgnorance of GodignoranceFutile Faith

Who are saying, 'Keep to thyself, come not nigh to me, For I have declared thee unholy.' These are a smoke in Mine anger, A fire burning all the day. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfNosesPrejudicePride, Examples OfSmokeHypocrites, Description OfFire Of EvilAll DayHolier Than ThouChanging YourselfsmokingSmoke Used Poetically

for not knowing the righteousness of God, and their own righteousness seeking to establish, to the righteousness of God they did not submit. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfLegalismSelf Righteousness, Nature OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSpiritual IgnoranceTrusting In WorksSeeking For Abstract ThingsIgnorance of GodignoranceFutile Faith


And he, willing to declare himself righteous, said unto Jesus, 'And who is my neighbour?' Verse ConceptsJustification, Necessity OfPride, Examples OfSelf Righteousness, Nature OfWho Is The One?Man VindicatesNeighbours

the Pharisee having stood by himself, thus prayed: God, I thank Thee that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax-gatherer; Verse ConceptsExtortion, Examples OfAttitudes, in prayerHypocrisy, Description OfPrejudiceStandingStatusTax CollectorsHypocrites, Description OfSelf DelusionEvildoersNot Like PeopleAvoid AdulteryWe Thank GodConfession of sin


If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse. Verse ConceptsSelf CondemnationHuman ImperfectionPlea Of Innocencecondemnation


for not knowing the righteousness of God, and their own righteousness seeking to establish, to the righteousness of God they did not submit. Verse ConceptsHypocrisy, Description OfLegalismSelf Righteousness, Nature OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSpiritual IgnoranceTrusting In WorksSeeking For Abstract ThingsIgnorance of GodignoranceFutile Faith