Matthew 23:13
Then Jesus said to the religious leaders, “You men who teach the Jewish laws and you Pharisees are hypocrites! There will be terrible punishment for you, because by teaching what is false, you prevent people [MTY/HYP] who are thinking about letting God rule their lives from doing that [MET]. What you are doing is like closing a gate [MET] so that people who are wanting to enter a city cannot go in. As for you, you do not let God rule your lives. Neither do you allow other people to let God rule their lives. What you do is like not going into a house yourselves, and not allowing others to enter it either [MET].”
Translation for Translators
In The King James Version
In Context
12God will humble those who exalt themselves. And he will exalt those who humble themselves.”
Cross References
Isaiah 33:14The sinners in Jerusalem will tremble because of being very afraid; godless people will be terrified. They say, “None of us can [RHQ] remain alive because this fire is burning everything; it is like the fire on Yahweh’s altar that will burn forever!”
Matthew 21:31So which of the man’s two sons did what their father desired?” They answered, “The older son.” Jesus explained to them what that parable meant by saying, “Think about this: It is more likely that other people, including tax collectors and prostitutes, whom you think are very sinful, will enter where God rules, than it is that you Jewish leaders will enter.
Matthew 23:23“You men who teach the Jewish laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites because, even though you give to God a tenth of the herbs you produce, such as mint, dill, and cummin, you do not obey God’s laws that are more important. For example, you do not act justly toward others, you do not act mercifully toward people, and you are not trustworthy. It is good to give a tenth of your herbs to God, but you should also obey these other more important laws.
Matthew 23:27“You men who teach the Jewish laws and you Pharisees, your punishment will be terrible! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs [SIM] that are painted white so that people can see them and avoid touching them. The outside surfaces are beautiful, but inside they are full of dead people’s bones and filth.
Luke 11:43There will be terrible punishment for you Pharisees, because you like to sit in the best seats in our worship places so that people will think highly of you, and you like people to greet you respectfully in the marketplaces.
John 7:46They replied, “No one ever spoke such amazing things as this man does!”
Matthew Henry on Matthew 23:2-13
The Scribes and Pharisees Condemned; Cautions against Pride. 1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men:… Read the whole commentary →