ON THE
SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES
(FROM THE
SYNOPTIC GOSPELS)L
Matthew 5:17-20
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17
"Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have
come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.
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For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota,
not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.
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Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches
men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does
them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and
Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
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Matthew 6:1-8
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1 "Beware
of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then
you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 "Thus,
when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in
the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly,
I say to you, they have received their reward.
3
But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right
hand is doing,
4 so
that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will
reward you.
5
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love
to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they
may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your
Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward
you.
7
"And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they
think that they will be heard for their many words.
8
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask
him.
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6:16-18
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16 "And
when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure
their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
17
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18
that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
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Matthew 8:10-12
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10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and
said to those who followed him, "Truly, I
say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.
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11 I tell you,
many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
12 while the
sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will
weep and gnash their teeth." |
Luke 7:9
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9 When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said
to the multitude that followed him, "I tell
you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
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Luke 13:28-30
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28 There you will weep and gnash your teeth,
when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom
of God and you yourselves thrust out.
29 And men will
come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in
the kingdom of God.
30 And behold,
some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last." |
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Matthew 12:38-45
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38 Then some
of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign
from you."
39 But he answered
them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks
for a sign; but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet
Jonah.
40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale,
so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth.
41
The men of Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and
condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something
greater than Jonah is here.
42
The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation
and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom
of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
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"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless
places seeking rest, but he finds none.
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Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he
comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45
Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than himself,
and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes
worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation." |
Luke 11:29-32
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29 When the crowds were increasing, he began to say,
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"This generation is an evil generation; it
seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.
30 For as Jonah
became a sign to the men of Nin'eveh, so will the Son of man be to this
generation.
31 The queen
of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation
and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom
of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
32 The men of
Nin'eveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it;
for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater
than Jonah is here.
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Luke 11:24-26
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24 "When the
unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places
seeking rest; and finding none he says, 'I will return to my house from
which I came.'
25 And when he
comes he finds it swept and put in order.
26 Then he goes
and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and
dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first." |
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Matthew 13:10-15
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10 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to
them in parables?"
11 And he answered them, "To you it has been
given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has
not been given.
12 For to him
who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who
has not, even what he has will be taken away.
13 This is why
I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing
they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 With them
indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: 'You shall indeed
hear but never understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
15 For this people's
heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes
they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with
their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.'
16 But blessed
are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17 Truly, I say
to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and
did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
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Matthew 15:1-14
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1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
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2 "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?
For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
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3 He answered them, "And why do you transgress
the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?
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4 For God commanded,
'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father
or mother, let him surely die.'
5 But you say,
'If any one tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained
from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.'
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6 So, for the
sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God.
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7 You hypocrites!
Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 'This people
honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do
they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'"
10 And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear
and understand:
11 not what goes
into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles
a man."
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12 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the
Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?"
13 He answered, "Every plant which my heavenly
Father has not planted will be rooted up.
14 Let them alone;
they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will
fall into a pit." |
Mark 7:1-15
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1 Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of
the scribes, who had come fromJerusalem,
2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that
is, unwashed.
3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash
their hands, observing the tradition of the elders;
4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless
they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions which they
observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.)
5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples
not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?"
6 And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy
of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their
lips, but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do
they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'
8 You leave the
commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."
9 And he said to them, "You have a fine way
of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition!
10 For Moses
said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who speaks evil of
father or mother, let him surely die';
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11 but you say,
'If a man tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from
me is Corban' (that is, given to God)
12 then you no
longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,
13 thus making
void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on. And many
such things you do."
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(See v.6 above)
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14 And he called the people to him again, and said to them, "Hear
me, all of you, and understand:
15 there is nothing
outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which
come out of a man are what defile him." |
Matthew 16:1-12
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1 And the Pharisees and Sad'ducees came, and to test him they asked
him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered them, "When it is evening, you
say, 'It will be fair weather; for the sky is red.'
3 And in the
morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.'
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You know how to interpret the appearance of
the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
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4 An evil and
adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it
except the sign of Jonah." So he left them and departed.
5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten
to bring any bread.
6 Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware
of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees."
7 And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "We brought no
bread."
8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O men of
little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have
no bread?
9 Do you not
yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand,
and how many baskets you gathered?
10 Or the seven
loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?
11 How is it
that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees."
12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the
leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sad'ducees. |
Mark 8:11-13
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11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from
him a sign from heaven, to test him.
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12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, "Why
does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be
given to this generation."
13 And he left them, and getting into the boat again he departed
to the other side. |
Luke 12:54-56
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54 He also said to the multitudes, "When you
see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming';
and so it happens.
55 And when you
see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat'; and
it happens.
56 You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you
not know how to interpret the present time?
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Luke 12:1
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1 In the meantime, when so many thousands
of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another,
he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware
of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. |
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Luke 16:14-15
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14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money,
heard all this, and they scoffed at him.
15 But he said to them, "You
are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts;
for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God."
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Luke 18:9-14
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9 He also told this parable to some who trusted
in themselves that they were righteous and despised others:
10 "Two men went
up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee
stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like
other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice
a week, I give tithes of all that I get.'
13 But the tax
collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
14 I tell you,
this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every
one who exalts himsel will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will
be exalted."
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Luke 19:39-44
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39 And some of
the Pharisees in the multitude said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples."
40 He answered,
"I
tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."
41 And when he
drew near and saw the city he wept over it,
42 saying, "Would
that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are
hid from your eyes.
43
For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank
about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side,
44
and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they
will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know
the time of your visitation."
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Matthew 21:23,
28-32
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23 And when he
entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came
up to him as he was teaching . . .
28 "What
do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, 'Son,
go and work in the vineyard today.'
29
And he answered, 'I will not'; but afterward he repented and went.
30
And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir,'
but did not go.
31 Which
of the two did the will of his father?" They
said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly,
I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of
God before you.
32
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe
him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even
when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.
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Matthew 21:33-46
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33 "Hear another
parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge
around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out
to tenants, and went into another country.
34 When the season
of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit;
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35 and the tenants
took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
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36 Again he sent
other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them.
37 Afterward
he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'
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38 But when the
tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come,
let us kill him and have his inheritance.'
39 And they took
him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40 When therefore
the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
41 They said to him, "He will put those wretches
to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will
give him the fruits in their seasons."
42 Jesus said to them,
"Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very stone which the builders
rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
43 Therefore
I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to
a nation producing the fruits of it."
44
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they perceived that he was speaking about them.
46 But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes,
because they held him to be a prophet. |
Mark 12:1-12
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1 And he began to speak to them in
parables. "A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge
around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and let
it out to tenants, and went into another country.
2 When the time
came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit
of the vineyard.
3 And they took
him and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
4 Again he sent
to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated
him shamefully.
5 And he sent
another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and
some they killed.
6 He had still
one other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will
respect my son.'
7 But those tenants
said to one another, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the
inheritance will be ours.'
8 And they took
him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 What will the
owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and give
the vineyard to others.
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10 Have you not
read this scripture: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become
the head of the corner;
11 this was the
Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
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12 And they tried to arrest him, but feared the multitude, for they
perceived that he had told the parable against them; so they left him and
went away. |
Luke 20:9-19
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9 And he began to tell the people this parable: "A
man planted a vineyard, and let it out to tenants, and went into another
country for a long while.
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10 When the time
came, he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him some
of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him, and sent him away
empty-handed.
11 And he sent
another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him
away empty-handed.
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12 And he sent
yet a third; this one they wounded and cast out.
13 Then the owner
of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it
may be they will respect him.'
14 But when the
tenants saw him, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; let us kill
him, that the inheritance may be ours.'
15 And they cast
him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the
vineyard do to them?
16 He will come
and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others." When
they heard this, they said,"God forbid!"
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17 But he looked at them and said, "What then
is this that is written: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has
become the head of the corner'?
18 Every one
who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on
any one it will crush him."
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19 The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on him at
that very hour, but they feared the people; for they perceived that he
had told this parable against them. |
Matthew 23:1-36
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1 Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses'
seat;
3 so practice
and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach,
but do not practice.
4 They bind heavy
burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves
will not move them with their finger.
5 They do all
their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and
their fringes long,
6 and they love
the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,
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7 and salutations
in the market places, and being called rabbi by men.
8 But you are
not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren.
9 And call no
man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be
called masters, for you have one master, the Christ.
11 He who is
greatest among you shall be your servant;
12 whoever exalts
himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 "But woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of
heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who
would enter to go in.
14
15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes
a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.
16 "Woe to you,
blind guides, who say, 'If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing;
but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.'
17 You blind
fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold
sacred?
18 And you say,
'If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by
the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.'
19 You blind
men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
20 So he who
swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it;
21 and he who
swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it;
22 and he who
swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon
it.
23 "Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy
and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
24 You blind
guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
25 "Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup
and of the plate but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity.
26 You blind
Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the
outside also may be clean.
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27 "Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs,
which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's
bones and all uncleanness.
28 So you also
outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy
and iniquity.
29 "Woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
30 saying, 'If
we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with
them in shedding the blood of the prophets.'
31 Thus you witness
against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
32 Fill up, then,
the measure of your fathers.
33 You serpents,
you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?
34 Therefore
I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill
and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute
from town to town,
35 that upon
you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent
Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah the son of Barachi'ah, whom you murdered
between the sanctuary and the altar.
36 Truly, I say
to you, all this will come upon this generation. |
Mark 12:38-40
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38 And in his teaching he said,
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"Beware of the scribes,
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who like to go about in long robes, and to
have salutations in the market places
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39 and the best
seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,
40 who devour
widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive
the greater condemnation." |
Luke 20:45-47
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45 And in the hearing of all the people he
said to his disciples,
46 "Beware of
the scribes, L
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who like to go about in long robes, and love
salutations in the market places
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and the best seats in the synagogues and the
places of honor at feasts,
47 who devour
widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive
the greater condemnation."
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Luke 11:42
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42 "But woe to
you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice
and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the
others.
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Luke 11:39-41, 44, 47-51
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39 And the Lord said to him,
"Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but
inside you are full of extortion and wickedness.
40 You fools!
Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?
41 But give for
alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for
you.
44 Woe to you!
for you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without
knowing it."
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47 Woe to you!
for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.
48 So you are
witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them,
and you build their tombs.
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49 Therefore
also the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some
of whom they will kill and persecute,'
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50 that the blood
of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required
of this generation,
51 from the blood
of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and
the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation. |
FROM THE FOURTH GOSPEL
John 5:14-47
L
15 The man went away and told the Jews
that it was Jesus who had healed him.
16 And this was why the Jews persecuted
Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath.
17 But Jesus answered them, "My
Father is working still, and I am working."
18 This was why the Jews sought all
the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called
God his Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Jesus said to them, "Truly,
truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only
what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does
likewise.
20
For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself is doing;
and greater works than these will he show him, that you may marvel.
21
For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son
gives life to whom he will.
22
The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
23
that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does
not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
24 Truly,
truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me,
has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death
to life.
25
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead
will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
26
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to
have life in himself,
27
and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son
of man.
28
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice
29
and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life,
and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
30
"I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment
is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
31
If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true;
32
there is another who bears witness to me, and I know that the testimony
which he bears to me is true.
33
You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
34
Not that the testimony which I receive is from man; but I say this that
you may be saved.
35
He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for
a while in his light.
36 But the testimony
which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father
has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear me
witness that the Father has sent me.
37
And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me. His voice you
have never heard, his form you have never seen;
38
and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe him
whom he has sent.
39
You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal
life; and it is they that bear witness to me;
40
yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
41
I do not receive glory from men.
42
But I know that you have not the love of God within you.
43
I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another
comes in his own name, him you will receive.
44
How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek
the glory that comes from the only God?
45
Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; it is Moses who accuses
you, on whom you set your hope.
46
If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me.
47
But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"
John 8:22-52
22 Then said the
Jews, "Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am going, you cannot
come'?"
23 He said to
them, "You are from below, I am from above;
you are of this world, I am not of this world.
24 I told you
that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you
believe that I am he."
25 They said
to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them,
"Even what I have told you from the beginning.
26 I have much
to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare
to the world what I have heard from him."
27 They did not
understand that he spoke to them of the Father.
28 So
Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know
that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus
as the Father taught me.
29
And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do
what is pleasing to him."
30 As he spoke
thus, many believed in him.
31 Jesus then
said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If
you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
33 They answered
him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to
any one. How is it that you say, 'You will be made free'?"
34 Jesus answered
them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one
who commits sin is a slave to sin.
35
The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for
ever.
36
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
37
I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because
my word finds no place in you.
38
I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard
from your father."
39 They answered
him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If
you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did,
40
but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard
from God; this is not what Abraham did.
41
You do what your father did." They said to
him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God."
42 Jesus said
to them, "If God were your Father, you would
love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own
accord, but he sent me.
43
Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to
hear my word.
44
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's
desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with
the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according
to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
45
But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
46
Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe
me?
47
He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason why you do not hear
them is that you are not of God."
48 The Jews answered
him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
49 Jesus answered,
"I
have not a demon; but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
50
Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it and he will be
the judge.
51
Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see
death."
52 The Jews said
to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets;
and you say, 'If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.'
53 Are you greater
than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim
to be?"
54 Jesus answered,
"If
I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say that he is your God.
55
But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I
should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word.
56
Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was
glad."
57 The Jews then
said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"
58 Jesus said
to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I am."
59 So they took
up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.
John 9:40-41
40 Some of the
Pharisees near him heard this, and they said to him, "Are we also blind?"
41 Jesus
said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that
you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains.
John 10:22-42
22 It was the
feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem;
23 it was winter,
and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
24 So the Jews
gathered round him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
25 Jesus answered
them, "I told you, and you do not believe.
The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness to me;
26
but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me;
28
and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall
snatch them out of my hand.
29
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is
able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
30
I and the Father are one."
31 The Jews took
up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered
them, "I have shown you many good works from
the Father; for which of these do you stone me?"
33 The Jews answered
him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because
you, being a man, make yourself God."
34 Jesus answered
them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said,
you are gods'?
35
If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot
be broken),
36
do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world,
'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
37
If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;
38
but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works,
that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the
Father."
39 Again they
tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away
again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and
there he remained.
41 And many came
to him; and they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John said
about this man was true."
42 And many believed
in him there. |