Gospel According to Matthew - Modern Literal Version

Gospel According to Matthew (MLV)

Matthew 23)

^23:1 Then spoke Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, ^23:2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the seat of Moses: ^23:3 all things therefore whatever they say for you* to observe, do and observe these : but do not do them according to their works; for* they say and do not. ^23:4 For* they bind burdensome and unbearable loads and lay them on men's shoulders; but they are not willing to move them even with their finger. ^23:5 And they do all their works to be seen by men. And they enlarge their phylacteries and magnify the borders of their garments, ^23:6 and love the chief-place in the feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues, ^23:7 and the greeting in the marketplaces and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi. ^23:8 But you* are not called Rabbi: for* one is your* teacher, the Christ and all you* are brethren. ^23:9 And do not call anyone your* father on the earth: for* one is your* Father, who is in heaven. ^23:10 Neither be called leaders: for* one is your* leader, that is the Christ. ^23:11 But the greatest of you* will be your* SERVANT. ^23:12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

^23:13 But woe to you*, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you* shut the kingdom of heaven before men can enter : for* you* do not enter in yourselves, neither do you* allow those who are entering in to enter.

^23:14 Woe to you*, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you* devour widows' houses, even while for a pretense you* make long prayers: therefore you* will receive greater condemnation.

^23:15 Woe to you*, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you* compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he has become one, you* make him twice the son of hell as you* are yourselves.

^23:16 Woe to you*, you* blind guides, that say, Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated. ^23:17 Fools and blind: for* which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? ^23:18 And, Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift which is on it, he is obligated. ^23:19 Fools and blind: for* which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ^23:20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. ^23:21 And he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it. ^23:22 And he who swears by the heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who is sitting on it.

^23:23 Woe to you*, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you* tithe mint and dill and cummin and have left undone the weighty things of the law: justice and mercy and faith. You* ought to do these and not to have left those other things undone. ^23:24 You* blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!

^23:25 Woe to you*, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you* cleanse the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full from extortion and lack of self-control. ^23:26 You blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside of them may become clean also.

^23:27 Woe to you*, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you* are similar to whitewashed sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. ^23:28 Even so you* also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you* are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

^23:29 Woe to you*, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you* build the sepulchers of the prophets and garnish the tombs of the righteous, ^23:30 and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. ^23:31 So then you* witness to yourselves, that you* are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ^23:32 You* fill up then the measure of your* fathers. ^23:33 You* serpents, you* offspring of vipers, how will you* escape from the judgment of hell? ^23:34 Therefore, behold, I send to you* prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them you* will kill and crucify; and some of them you* will scourge in your* synagogues and persecute from city to city: ^23:35 that upon you* may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous {Gen. 4:8} to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you* murdered between the temple and the altar. {2 Chr. 24:20-21 (?)} ^23:36 Truly I say to you*, All these things will come upon this generation.

^23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I willed to have gathered your children together, in the way a hen gathers her chickens under her wings and you* did not will it ! ^23:38 Behold, your* house is left to you* deserted. ^23:39 For* I say to you*, You* will not see me from now on, until you* will say, He who is coming in the name of the Lord is blessed.