Matthew · Unlocked Literal Bible
Matthew 23 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples.
1 Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησε τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ
2 He said, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
2 λέγων· ἐπὶ τῆς Μωσέως καθέδρας ἐκάθισαν οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι.
3 Therefore whatever they command you to do, do these things and observe them. But do not imitate their deeds, for they say things but then do not do them.
3 πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπωσιν ὑμῖν τηρεῖν, τηρεῖτε καὶ ποιεῖτε, κατὰ δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν μὴ ποιεῖτε· λέγουσι γάρ, καὶ οὐ ποιοῦσι.
4 Yes, they bind heavy burdens that are difficult to carry, and then they put them on people's shoulders. But they themselves will not move a finger to carry them.
4 δεσμεύουσι γὰρ φορτία βαρέα καὶ δυσβάστακτα καὶ ἐπιτιθέασιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τῷ δὲ δακτύλῳ αὐτῶν οὐ θέλουσι κινῆσαι αὐτά.
5 They do all their deeds to be seen by people. For they make their phylacteries wide, and they enlarge the edges of their garments.
5 πάντα δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ποιοῦσι πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. πλατύνουσι γὰρ τὰ φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν καὶ μεγαλύνουσι τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἱματίων αὐτῶν,
6 They love the chief places at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues,
6 φιλοῦσι δὲ τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις καὶ τὰς πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς
7 and special greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi' by people.
7 καὶ τοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καὶ καλεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ῥαββὶ ῥαββί.
8 But you must not be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all you are brothers.
8 ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ κληθῆτε ῥαββί· εἷς γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν [ὁ] διδάσκαλος, ὁ Χριστός· πάντες δὲ ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί ἐστε.
9 And call no man on earth your father, for you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.
9 καὶ πατέρα μὴ καλέσητε ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πατήρ ὑμῶν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
10 Neither must you be called 'teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Christ.
10 μηδὲ κληθῆτε καθηγηταί· εἷς γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν [ὁ] καθηγητής, ὁ Χριστός.
11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.
11 ὁ δὲ μείζων ὑμῶν ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος.
12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
12 ὅστις δὲ ὑψώσει ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται, καὶ ὅστις ταπεινώσει ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.
13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven against people. For you do not enter it yourselves, and neither do you allow those about to enter to do so.
13 Οὐαὶ δὲ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κατεσθίετε τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσευχόμενοι· διὰ τοῦτο λήψεσθε περισσότερον κρῖμα.
14 Not in this translation
14 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὑμεῖς γὰρ οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθε, οὐδὲ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἀφίετε εἰσελθεῖν.
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you go over sea and land to make one convert, and when he has become one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you.
15 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι περιάγετε τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὴν ξηρὰν ποιῆσαι ἕνα προσήλυτον, καὶ ὅταν γένηται, ποιεῖτε αὐτὸν υἱὸν γεέννης διπλότερον ὑμῶν.
16 Woe to you, you blind guides, you who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound to his oath.'
16 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, οἱ λέγοντες· ὃς ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ ναῷ, οὐδέν ἐστιν, ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ χρυσῷ τοῦ ναοῦ, ὀφείλει.
17 You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold holy?
17 μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί! τίς γὰρ μείζων ἐστίν, ὁ χρυσὸς ἢ ὁ ναὸς ὁ ἁγιάζων τὸν χρυσόν;
18 And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing. But whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is bound to his oath.'
18 καί· ὃς ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, οὐδέν ἐστιν, ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ δώρῳ τῷ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, ὀφείλει.
19 You blind people! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift holy?
19 μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί! τί γὰρ μεῖζον, τὸ δῶρον ἢ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἁγιάζον τὸ δῶρον;
20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
20 ὁ οὖν ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ·
21 The one who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who lives in it.
21 καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ κατοικήσαντι αὐτόν·
22 And the one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.
22 καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὀμνύει ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ.
23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, but you have left undone the weightier matters of the law—justice and mercy and faith. But these you ought to have done and not to have left the other undone.
23 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι ἀποδεκατοῦτε τὸ ἡδύοσμον καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον καὶ τὸ κύμινον, καὶ ἀφήκατε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὸν ἔλεον καὶ τὴν πίστιν· ταῦτα δὲ ἔδει ποιῆσαι κἀκεῖνα μὴ ἀφιέναι.
24 You blind guides, you who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
24 ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, οἱ διυλίζοντες τὸν κώνωπα, τὴν δὲ κάμηλον καταπίνοντες!
25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
25 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι καθαρίζετε τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς καὶ ἀδικίας.
26 You blind Pharisee! Clean first the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside may become clean also.
26 Φαρισαῖε τυφλέ, καθάρισον πρῶτον τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἵνα γένηται καὶ τὸ ἐκτὸς αὐτῶν καθαρόν.
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.
27 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι παρομοιάζετε τάφοις κεκονιαμένοις, οἵτινες ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνονται ὡραῖοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ὀστέων νεκρῶν καὶ πάσης ἀκαθαρσίας.
28 In the same way, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
28 οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνεσθε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δίκαιοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ μεστοί ἐστε ὑποκρίσεως καὶ ἀνομίας.
29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous.
29 Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων,
30 You say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been participants with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'
30 καὶ λέγετε· εἰ ἦμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν κοινωνοὶ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν.
31 Therefore you testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets.
31 ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας.
32 You also fill up the measure of your fathers.
32 καὶ ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν.
33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of hell?
33 ὄφεις, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν! πῶς φύγητε ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τῆς γεέννης;
34 Therefore, see, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some you will whip in your synagogues and drive them out from city to city.
34 διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε καὶ σταυρώσετε, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν,
35 The result is that upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.
35 ὅπως ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυνόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἄβελ τοῦ δικαίου ἕως τοῦ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου, ὃν ἐφονεύσατε μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.
36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
36 ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἥξει ταῦτα πάντα ἐπὶ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην.
37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often did I long to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
37 Ἱερουσαλὴμ Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτέννουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν! ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου ὃν τρόπον ἐπισυνάγει ὄρνις τὰ νοσσία ἑαυτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε.
38 See, your house is left to you desolate.
38 ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος.
39 For I say to you, You will not see me from now on until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'”
39 λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, οὐ μή με ἴδητε ἀπ᾽ ἄρτι ἕως ἂν εἴπητε, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Zechariah
Named by Jesus as the last of the righteous whose blood was shed, 'son of Berechiah', whom they killed between the temple and the altar. Matthew 23:35 calls him 'son of…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51
Cross references (35)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 20:45–46; Matthew 15:10–20; Luke 12:1; Luke 12:57; Mark 12:38–39
- 2 Luke 20:46; Mark 12:38; Malachi 2:7; Ezra 7:6; Ezra 7:25
- 3 2 Timothy 3:5; Titus 1:16; Romans 2:19–24; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1
- 4 Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10; Galatians 6:13; Matthew 11:28–30; Matthew 23:23
- 5 Matthew 6:1–16; John 12:43; Philippians 2:3; Deuteronomy 6:8; John 5:44
- 6 3 John 9; Luke 11:43–54; Mark 12:38–39; Luke 14:7–11; Proverbs 25:6–7
- 7 John 1:38; John 1:49; John 3:2; John 6:25; John 3:26
- 8 James 3:1; Luke 22:32; Revelation 1:9; 1 Corinthians 1:12–13; 1 Peter 5:3
- 9 1 John 3:1; Hebrews 12:9; Malachi 1:6; Job 32:21–22; Romans 8:14–17
- 11 1 Corinthians 9:19; Galatians 5:13; John 13:14–15; Mark 10:43–44; 2 Corinthians 4:5
- 12 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6; Luke 14:11; Proverbs 29:23; Luke 18:14
- 13 Luke 11:52; Matthew 23:29; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 23:27; Zechariah 11:17
- 15 Acts 13:43; Acts 13:10; Ephesians 2:3; Galatians 6:12; Galatians 4:17
- 16 Matthew 15:14; James 5:12; Matthew 23:24; Matthew 23:17; Matthew 5:33–35
- 17 Matthew 23:19; Numbers 16:38–39; Psalm 94:8; Exodus 30:26–29
- 19 Exodus 29:37; Exodus 30:29
- 21 Psalm 26:8; 1 Kings 8:13; 2 Chronicles 6:2; Ephesians 2:22; Colossians 2:9
- 22 Matthew 5:34; Isaiah 66:1; Psalm 11:4; Revelation 4:2–3; Acts 7:49
- 23 Luke 11:42; Micah 6:8; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 5:19–20
- 24 Matthew 19:24; Matthew 27:6–8; Luke 6:7–10; Matthew 15:2–6; John 18:28
- 25 Luke 11:39–40; Matthew 15:19–20; Isaiah 28:7–8; Mark 7:4–13
- 26 2 Corinthians 7:1; James 4:8; Hebrews 10:22; Ezekiel 18:31; Isaiah 55:7
- 27 Luke 11:44; Acts 23:3; Numbers 19:16; Isaiah 58:1–2
- 28 Luke 16:15; Psalm 51:6; Matthew 23:5; Matthew 12:34–35; 1 Samuel 16:7
- 29 Luke 11:47–48; Acts 2:29
- 30 Matthew 23:34–35; Jeremiah 2:30; Matthew 21:35–36; 2 Chronicles 36:15
- 31 Acts 7:51–52; 1 Thessalonians 2:15–16; Job 15:5–6; Joshua 24:22; Luke 19:22
- 32 Genesis 15:16; Numbers 32:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:16
- 33 Matthew 3:7; Matthew 12:34; Luke 3:7; Matthew 5:22; Genesis 3:15
- 34 Matthew 10:16–17; Matthew 13:52; Colossians 1:28; Luke 11:49–51; Acts 13:1
- 35 2 Chronicles 24:20–22; Hebrews 11:4; Zechariah 1:1; Genesis 4:8; Revelation 18:24
- 36 Matthew 10:23; Matthew 24:34; Luke 21:32–33; Mark 13:30–31; Ezekiel 12:21–28
- 37 Luke 13:34–35; Psalm 91:4; Ruth 2:12; Deuteronomy 32:11–12; Psalm 17:8
- 38 Jeremiah 22:5; Luke 13:35; Luke 21:24; 1 Kings 9:7; Acts 6:13–14
- 39 Psalm 118:26; Matthew 21:9; Romans 11:25; John 8:24; Luke 17:22
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Then. When? When He had said these things, when He had stopped their mouths; when He had brought them that they should no more dare to tempt Him; when He had shown their state incurable. And since He had made mention of "the Lord" and "my Lord," He recurs again to the law.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Jesus, therefore, will be to them the author and teacher of such transgression, inasmuch as He commanded that one Being should be called Father, thus imposing upon them the necessity of confessing the Creator as their Father, as has been pointed out.
Therefore, says the Lord, "Cleanse that which is within, and the outside shall be clean also." He then says that God Himself,--not anything received from Him, but Himself,--is his portion.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Herewith towards the end also He was upbraiding them, when He said, "Ye bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, but ye will not move them with your finger," and, "ye pay tithe of mint and anise, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith." Well then, I think that these are comprehended in …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
They forgot that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten, speaks in like manner concerning Himself to Jerusalem, How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)