Jesus instructs His followers1Then Jesus addressed both the crowds and His disciples:2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees are to interpret the scriptures correctly.3When they do so, you are to obey whatever they teach you. But do not follow the example they set by the way they live, for they do not put into practice themselves what they tell others to do.4They place heavy burdens of legalistic religious traditions onto people, and do nothing to help them be free of their real burdens.5"Instead, they act in ways they think will impress others as to how religious they are. They wear large boxes containing scripture verses on their arms and their robes have long tassels, for they think this will prove what great authority they have.6They are mere show-offs who want the places of honour at public events and the most prominent seats in the synagogues.7They feel so proud when others acknowledge them in the market places and treat them with deference calling them 'Master!'8"But you, My followers, are not to be called 'master,' for you are all brothers who have only one Master.9Neither are you to call anyone here on earth your spiritual 'father', for you have only one Father spiritually, and He is in heaven.10Neither are you to be addressed as 'teacher', for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.11"The greatest ones among you will be those who are happy to serve others.12For whoever tries to place himself in a position of prominence will be humbled, but whoever is humble before God and others will be placed in a position of prominence before God.Jesus rebukes the Pharisees13"You teachers of the law and you Pharisees are hypocrites and are cursed. Not only do you fail to enter the Kingdom of heaven yourselves, but you prevent others from doing so. You shut the door to the Kingdom in their faces, even though they want to enter.14You teachers of the law and you Pharisees are hypocrites and are cursed for you take advantage of widows and pray long pretentious prayers for effect. Your punishment will be more severe as a result.15"You teachers of the law and you Pharisees are cursed because of your hypocrisy. You will travel great distances by land or sea to win a single person over to your own ways; but if he becomes one of you, then you have only succeeded in making him twice as much a son of hell as you are yourselves.16"You are cursed, you blind guides! You teach, 'It means nothing if someone swears by the temple when he makes an oath. But if someone swears by the gold of the temple then his oath is valid and must be kept.'17What blind fools you are! Really, which is greater, the gold or the temple itself that is sacred to God?18"You also have a saying, 'It means nothing if someone swears by the altar; but if anyone swears by the gift laid on the altar, he is bound by the oath he has taken.'19How blind you are! Which is greater? The gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?20Because this is the case, if you swear by the altar you swear by all that has been laid on it.21Also he who swears by the temple swears by God who reveals His presence in the temple.22And if anyone should swear by heaven, he swears by God's throne and by the One who sits in majesty upon it.23"You hypocritical teachers of the law and Pharisees are cursed. You are so particular about tithing all you receive, that you even give a tenth of your spices. Yet at the same time you fail to observe the more important aspects of God's law: justice, mercy and forgiveness. These are the things you should practise, while still giving the first tenth of all you receive.24You blind guides! You are so concerned not to swallow a fly, but end up swallowing a camel instead!25"You teachers of the law and you Pharisees are cursed. You are hypocrites. You are meticulous about cleansing the external things, such as the cups and dishes you use.26But inside, in your own hearts, you are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisees! If you first clean the inside of the cup and dish, your own heart, then the external things will also be clean!27"You are cursed, you teachers of the law and you Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You are like tombs whitewashed on the outside to look good, but inside you are full of the bones of the dead and everything that is foul and unclean. You are just like that.28Outwardly you give the impression of being so righteous, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and evil.29"You are cursed, you teachers of the law and you Pharisees. What hypocrites you are! You build ornate tombs for the prophets you say you honour, and you decorate the graves of the righteous who you say you revere.30You even say, 'If we had lived in their times, we would not have treated them as our ancestors did. We would never have shed the blood of the prophets.'31Actually, you are testifying against yourselves, for you are the descendants of the very ones who murdered the prophets.32You may as well finish what they started!33"You are snakes, the sons of vipers! How can you escape being condemned and thrown into hell?34I will send you prophets, those who are truly wise, who speak and live according to the truth. And what will you do to them? Some you will kill and have crucified. Others you will flog in your synagogues and still others you will persecute in every town.35And so you will be guilty of joining the long line of those who have murdered the truly righteous, from the murder of Abel through to the killing of Zechariah, the son of Berekiah, who was even murdered in the temple between the altar and the holy place.36"I tell you the truth; this judgment will come on you in this present generation.37"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you have killed the prophets and stoned those God sent to you. Yet often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings to protect them; but you would not allow Me to do so.38Look now, you have inherited a house that has become desolate.39For I tell you clearly, you will not see Me again until you say, 'We bless Him who comes in the Lord's name.'"
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)