Matthew 23 Geneva Bible 1599

From Textus Receptus

1 Then spake Iesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2 Saying, The Scribes and the Pharises sit in Moses seate.

3 All therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue, that obserue and doe: but after their workes doe not: for they say, and doe not.

4 For they binde heauie burdens, and grieuous to be borne, and lay them on mens shoulders, but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers.

5 All their workes they doe for to be seene of men: for they make their phylacteries broad, and make long the frindges of their garments,

6 And loue the chiefe place at feastes, and to haue the chiefe seates in the assemblies,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8 But be not ye called, Rabbi: for one is your doctour, to wit, Christ, and all ye are brethren.

9 And call no man your father vpon the earth: for there is but one, your father which is in heauen.

10 Be not called doctours: for one is your doctour, euen Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you, let him be your seruant.

12 For whosoeuer will exalt himselfe, shall be brought lowe: and whosoeuer will humble himselfe, shalbe exalted.

13 Wo therefore be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites, because ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men: for ye your selues go not in, neither suffer ye them that would enter, to come in.

14 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye deuoure widowes houses, euen vnder a colour of long prayers: wherefore ye shall receiue the greater damnation.

15 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye compasse sea and land to make one of your profession: and when he is made, ye make him two folde more the childe of hell, then you your selues.

16 Wo be vnto you blinde guides, which say, Whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the golde of the Temple, he offendeth.

17 Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the golde, or the Temple that sanctifieth the golde?

18 And whosoeuer sweareth by the altar, it is nothing: but whosoeuer sweareth by the offering that is vpon it, offendeth.

19 Ye fooles and blinde, whether is greater, the offering, or the altar which sanctifieth the offering?

20 Whosoeuer therefore sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21 And whosoeuer sweareth by the Temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22 And he that sweareth by heauen, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye tithe mynt, and annyse, and cummyn, and leaue the weightier matters of the law, as iudgement, and mercy and fidelitie. These ought ye to haue done, and not to haue left the other.

24 Ye blinde guides, which straine out a gnat, and swallowe a camell.

25 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup, and of the platter: but within they are ful of briberie and excesse.

26 Thou blinde Pharise, cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be cleane also.

27 Wo be to you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye are like vnto whited tombes, which appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and all filthines.

28 So are ye also: for outwarde ye appeare righteous vnto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie.

29 Wo be vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, hypocrites: for ye build the tombes of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30 And say, If we had bene in the dayes of our fathers, we would not haue bene partners with them in the blood of the Prophets.

31 So then ye be witnesses vnto your selues, that ye are the children of them that murthered the Prophets.

32 Fulfill ye also ye measure of your fathers.

33 O serpents, the generation of vipers, howe should ye escape the damnation of hell!

34 Wherefore beholde, I send vnto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes, and of them ye shall kill and crucifie: and of them shall ye scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute from citie to citie,

35 That vpon you may come all the righteous blood that was shed vpon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, vnto the blood of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whome ye slewe betweene the Temple and the altar.

36 Verely I say vnto you, all these things shall come vpon this generation.

37 Hierusalem, Hierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee, how often would I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth her chickins vnder her wings, and ye would not!

38 Beholde, your habitation shalbe left vnto you desolate,

39 For I say vnto you, ye shall not see mee henceforth till that ye say, Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord.