Matthew 23
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and his students:
2 “The Bible Scholars and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so pay attention to whatever they tell you and do it. You see, they say things but don’t do them. 4 They secure heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on people’s shoulders, but they aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them.a 5 They do their actions so that people will notice them; they display their phylacteriesb and tasselsc prominently. 6 They care aboutd the spot for the highest status guest at dinners, the seat of honor in the synagogues, 7 elaborate greetings of respect in public, and having people call them ‘My great one.’e 8 But you shouldn’t be called ‘My great one’; there’s one teacher for all of you,f and you are all fellow students.g 9 And you shouldn’t call an earthly authority your ‘father’ because there’s one divine Father for all of you. 10 Nor should you be called ‘leader’ because the Messiah is your one leader. 11 Your servants will be the most impressive among you. 12 So whoever elevates themselves will be brought low, and whoever accepts a lower position will be elevated.
13 “You’d better watch outh—fakers,i Bible Scholars and Pharisees—because you shut the entrance to the Heavenly Reign in people’s faces. In fact, you neither enter nor release others to enter.
15 j “You’d better watch out—fakers, Bible Scholars and Pharisees—because you wander dry places and sea to recruit one new follower, and when someone joins, you make them twice the childk of the Hinnom Valleyl as you!
16 “You’d better watch out, blind guides who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple—that’s nothing—but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, they owe what they swear.’ 17 You’re shortsighted,m unable to see what’s right in front of you.n Which is more important, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘Whoever swears on the altar—that’s nothing—but whoever swears on the offering on top of it, they owe what they swear.’ 19 You don’t see the truth! What’s more important, the offering or the altar that makes the offering sacred? 20 Therefore, a person who swears by the altar swears on it and everything placed on it; 21 whoever swears on the temple swears on it and on the One who dwells within it; 22 a person who swears on the heavens swears on God’s throne and on the one who sits on it.
23 “You’d better watch out—fakers, Bible scholars and Pharisees—because you give an offering of a tenth of your mint, dill, and cumin while dismissing the weightyo things of Torah: justice, compassion, and faithfulness!p It’s essential to do these things—without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides, you strain out gnats but drink down a camel!
25 “You’d better watch out—fakers, Bible Scholars and Pharisees—because you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are robbery and devoid of self-restraint. 26 Blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup so that the outside can also get clean.
27 “You’d better watch out—fakers, Bible Scholars and Pharisees—because you’re like tombs with plaster exteriors which look beautiful on the outside, but inside they’re full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 Just like them, you appear to people like you’re committed to doing everything right, yet inside you’re full of play-actingq and lack Torah.r
29 “You’d better watch out—fakers, Bible Scholars and Pharisees—because you build tombs for prophets and decorate the tombstones of those who live justly,s 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Therefore, you testify against yourselves that you are heirst of those who murdered the prophets. 32 You might as well complete the legacyu of your ancestors! 33 Snakes! Children of vipers!v How could you escape from the justice enacted in the Hinnom Valley?w 34 Pay attention! This is why I’m sending you prophets, teachers of wisdom, and Bible Scholars. You will crucify and kill some of them, and some of them you’ll whip in your synagogues and hunt them from town to town, 35 which would bring on you all the blood of those who lived justly that was shed in the land from the blood of Abel, who lived justly, until the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah,x whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Honestly, I’m telling you, all these things will come to bear on this group.
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you!y I’ve wanted for so long to gather your children together like a hen gathers her chicks together under her wings,z but you didn’t want it. 38 Look around! Your household is abandoned to be desolate. 39 You see, I’m telling you, you won’t see me at all from now until you say, ‘Praised be the one who comes representing the Lord!’”aa
FOOTNOTES:
a Compare this to Matthew 11:28-30.
b The Hebrew word for this is tefillin. They are small, leather boxes worn bound above the forehead or around the upper arm containing scrolls of parchment with scripture inscribed on them as a reminder to the wearer. It is derived from Deuteronomy 11:18, though that original verse does not explicitly describe phylacteries, and while some Jews throughout history have attempted to follow the verse literally with phylacteries, others have followed it as metaphor.
c Tassels were sown onto the hem of their garments as reminders to follow Torah. See Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12.
d The Greek is phileo, which can be translated as ‘love’ but is a different word than the word in Matthew 22:37, 39 which is agapao. Phileo carries a sense of affection, caring about, or attachment to something or someone. Agapao may or may not include that emotional component and includes a sense of commitment to what/whom is loved, dedication to pursuing good for what/whom is loved.
e This is the word where we get ‘rabbi,’ though the modern office of rabbi had not yet been establish when this was written. Here, it is a term of respect used for honored spiritual teachers. Literally, it means something like ‘much’ or ‘many’ or ‘more than’ or ‘abundant’ and could be translated as something like ‘my great one.’ It’s not the same word people use to address Jesus as ‘teacher’ which is didaskalos, even though it was used for teachers.
f Literally, ‘one is your (plural) teacher,’ with the word order putting the most emphasis on ‘one’ and next most emphasis on ‘your’ (plural). It’s the same wording pattern as ‘one is good’ in Matthew 19:17. This might suggest it’s the same ‘one’ in mind.
g The word adelphos, which literally means ‘brother’ or ‘sibling.’ It was also frequently used to refer to ‘cousin’ or ‘relative,’ and even for members of the same ideological or ethnic group. With Jesus’ insistence on a radically inclusive understanding of God’s instruction, it is always pushing further than what already seems to be the most wide-sweeping view people hold. Here, the point of the statement is not biological but, rather, the sense of being peers or companions who are connected with each other as opposed to competitors asserting their status over each other.
h This section is known as the ‘seven woes.’ Like Matthew 5:3-11 is Jesus’ counterpart to the blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Matthew 23:13-36 is Jesus’ counterpart to the curses of Deuteronomy 28:15-68.
i Traditionally translated as "hypocrites," the Greek hupocrites was commonly used to describe stage actors or people playing a role, emphasizing pretended or performed actions. Translating it as “fakers” clarifies the original Greek sense of someone who outwardly displays devotion for attention, rather than genuine faithfulness—a meaning similar but not identical to the English "hypocrite," which now primarily implies moral inconsistency.
j What was traditionally verse 14 is thought to be a later addition and not part of the original. It is left out by many translations, though there are similar verses in Mark and Luke that are thought to be original and are included. It reads, “Woe to you experts in the law and the Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ property, and as a show you pray long prayers! Therefore you will receive a more severe punishment.”
k The most direct translation is ‘son,’ but the word huios was also regularly used more figuratively to refer to an heir or descendants more broadly as well as those who were dedicated to following a particular movement or figure and emulating them.
l Gehenna is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew Ge Hinnom or “Hinnom Valley,” infamous as a site of infant sacrifice to the god Molech during ancient polytheistic practices. The Hinnom Valley later served as a burial place, and for a period, the Romans used it to cremate corpses. Although it may have also been a dumpsite due to its cursed reputation, no historical evidence confirms the common teaching that perpetual fires burned there to consume trash—this idea emerged around 1000 years after Jesus. Every mention of Gehenna in the New Testament carries the weight of warnings in Jeremiah about Hinnom Valley. Notable references include Jeremiah 7-9 (especially Jeremiah 7:30-34) and Jeremiah 19:1-13, where the valley symbolizes both Israel’s deviation from God’s teachings and the severe consequences for oppression and injustice. Failure to follow the teachings of the Torah led to destruction, exile, and disgrace: sacred places were lost, corpses left unattended, and the people suffered exile to Babylon. Jesus drew on this tradition, warning against oppressive practices and values of domination, exclusion, and violence, foretelling a similar judgment on Jerusalem, which was ultimately destroyed by Rome in AD 70—about 40 years later. Though later rabbinic teaching did apply Hinnom Valley metaphorically to describe a time of post-mortem punishment, it was thought to be limited to a year, with rest granted on the Sabbath. There is little evidence that Jesus envisioned anything akin to the modern concept of Hell, a notion that did not fully develop until centuries later and only assumed its current form with the influence of medieval European folklore.
m The Greek word moros, often translated as ‘foolish,’ can also imply ‘thoughtless’ or ‘shortsighted’—a lack of consideration or attentiveness. Rendering it this way highlights a failure to act responsibly, not due to lack of intelligence, but rather a disregard for consequences. Compare with Matthew 7:26.
n This is the word for ‘blind,’ but here, it’s not about physical vision impairment but about failure to perceive the truth.
o The Greek term barutera means "heavier" or "more significant," often implying moral weight rather than physical burden. Translating it as "weighty" here emphasizes the primary importance of justice, compassion, and faithfulness in Torah, which Jesus highlights as essential values.
p References to Exodus 34:6-7 and Micah 6:8
q The Greek term hupokriseōs, from which we derive "hypocrisy," originally referred to acting or performing, especially in theatrical contexts. Here, Jesus critiques the Pharisees’ and scholars' outward shows of piety, which mask an inner emptiness or contradiction to Torah values. "Play-acting" conveys this sense of putting on a false front, capturing the contrast Jesus draws between external appearances and internal realities.
r Very literally, anomos means something like “not-law.” The Greek term nomos (here with the negating prefix a-) traditionally translated as "law," is rendered here as "Torah" because it is referring to the Hebrew "Torah"—the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, including teachings, stories, and instructions. "Torah" stems from a Hebrew root meaning "to guide" or "to throw," symbolizing divine guidance as instruction rather than a legalistic rule. This translation approach preserves the Jewish context and conveys Torah's role as a guiding revelation rather than a restrictive legal code.
s The Greek term dikaios, traditionally translated as “righteous,” fundamentally describes a condition of alignment with divine justice and relational integrity. Dikaios signifies more than personal virtue; it describes congruence with ethical or moral standards that are socially visible and enacted, in harmony with God’s standards of justice, particularly as defined by the Torah. This alignment is about embodying justice in ways that honor and uplift those who are vulnerable and marginalized.
t The most direct translation is ‘sons,’ but the word huios was also regularly used more figuratively to refer to an heir or descendants more broadly as well as those who were dedicated to following a particular movement or figure and emulating them.
u The Greek word metron generally means "measure" or "standard," often used to indicate the completion or fulfillment of something according to a set limit or extent. In this context, translating it as "legacy" captures the idea of inheriting and fulfilling the ancestors’ actions and character—specifically, their hostility toward the prophets. Jesus criticizes the religious leaders for claiming moral superiority over their ancestors, while in reality, they perpetuate the same attitudes. "Legacy" reflects the generational continuity of these actions, with Jesus suggesting that they are on the verge of completing what their ancestors began.
v Compare to Psalm 140:30 and Isaiah 59:5, plus their contexts.
w See Jeremiah 7:30-34; 19:1-13 and compare to Matthew 3:7.
x There is disagreement whether this is in reference to the Zechariah of 2 Chronicles 24:17-25, which would make it the last martyrdom in the Hebrew Bible (in the Hebrew order of books) or to the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1), which would make it the latest martyrdom in the historical timeline. Either way, From Abel to Zechariah is supposed to be mean “from the first murder to the last,” i.e. all of them.
y Compare with Jeremiah 26:1-11.
z Reference to Psalm 36:7, Psalm 57:1, Psalm 63:7, and Ruth 2:12
aa Citation of Psalm 118:26 and parallel to Matthew 21:9