Matúš 23

1 Vtedy Ježiš povedal zástupom i svojim učeníkom:2 „Zákonníci a farizeji zasadli na Mojžišovu stolicu.3 Preto robte a zachovávajte všetko, čo vám povedia, ale podľa ich skutkov nerobte: lebo hovoria, a nekonajú.4 Viažu ťažké až neúnosné bremená a kladú ich ľuďom na plecia, ale sami ich nechcú ani prstom pohnúť.5 Všetko, čo robia, konajú iba preto, aby ich ľudia videli: rozširujú si modlitebné remienky a zväčšujú strapce na šatách,6 radi majú popredné miesta na hostinách, prvé stolice v synagógach,7 pozdravy na uliciach a keď ich ľudia oslovujú Rabbi.8 Vy sa nedávajte volať Rabbi, lebo len jeden je váš Učiteľ, vy všetci ste bratia.9 Ani Otcom nevolajte nikoho na zemi, lebo len jeden je váš Otec, ten nebeský.10 Ani sa nedávajte volať Učiteľmi, lebo len jediný je váš Učiteľ, Kristus.11 Kto je medzi vami najväčší, bude vaším služobníkom.12 Kto sa povyšuje, bude ponížený, a kto sa ponižuje, bude povýšený.13 Beda vám, zákonníci a farizeji, pokrytci, lebo zatvárate nebeské kráľovstvo pred ľuďmi! Sami doň nevchádzate, a tým, čo vchádzajú, vojsť nedovolíte.14 (Beda vám, zákonníci a farizeji, pokrytci! Vyjedáte domy vdovám a modlíte sa dlhé modlitby. Preto vás postihne prísnejší súd.)15 Beda vám, zákonníci a farizeji, pokrytci, lebo obchádzate more i zem, aby ste získali jedného novoverca, a keď sa ním stane, urobíte z neho syna pekla dva razy horšieho, ako ste sami!16 Beda vám, slepí vodcovia! Hovoríte: »Kto by prisahal na chrám, to nič nie je, ale kto by prisahal na chrámové zlato, to ho už viaže.«17 Hlupáci a slepci! Čo je viac: zlato, či chrám, ktorý to zlato posväcuje?18 Alebo: »Kto by prisahal na oltár, to nič nie je, ale kto by prisahal na dar, čo je na ňom, to ho už viaže.«19 Slepci! Čože je viac: dar, či oltár, ktorý ten dar posväcuje?20 Kto teda prisahá na oltár, prisahá naň i na všetko, čo je na ňom;21 a kto prisahá na chrám, prisahá naň i na toho, ktorý v ňom býva.22 A kto prisahá na nebo, prisahá na Boží trón i na toho, čo na ňom sedí.23 Beda vám, zákonníci a farizeji, pokrytci, lebo dávate desiatky z mäty, kôpru a rasce, ale zanedbali ste, čo je v zákone dôležitejšie - spravodlivosť, milosrdenstvo a vernosť! Toto bolo treba robiť, a tamto nezanedbávať.24 Slepí vodcovia! Komára preciedzate a ťavu prehĺtate.25 Beda vám, zákonníci a farizeji, pokrytci, lebo čistíte čašu a misu zvonka, ale vnútri sú plné lúpeže a nečistoty!26 Slepý farizej, vyčisti čašu najprv zvnútra, aby bola čistá aj zvonka!27 Beda vám, zákonníci a farizeji, pokrytci, lebo sa podobáte obieleným hrobom, ktoré zvonka vyzerajú pekne, ale vnútri sú plné mŕtvolných kostí a všelijakej nečistoty!28 Tak sa aj vy navonok zdáte ľuďom spravodliví, no vnútri ste plní pokrytectva a neprávosti.29 Beda vám, zákonníci a farizeji, pokrytci! Prorokom staviate hrobky a spravodlivým zdobíte pomníky30 a hovoríte: »Keby sme boli žili za čias našich otcov, neboli by sme s nimi prelievali krv prorokov.«31 A tak si sami svedčíte, že ste synmi tých, čo zabíjali prorokov.32 Vy už dovŕšte mieru svojich otcov!33 Hadi, hadie plemeno, ako uniknete rozsudku pekla?34 Preto, hľa, ja k vám posielam prorokov, učiteľov múdrosti a zákonníkov. Vy niektorých z nich zabijete a ukrižujete, iných budete bičovať vo svojich synagógach a prenasledovať z mesta do mesta,35 aby na vás padla všetka spravodlivá krv vyliata na zemi, počnúc krvou spravodlivého Ábela až po krv Zachariáša, Barachiášovho syna, ktorého ste zabili medzi chrámom a oltárom.36 Veru, hovorím vám: To všetko padne na toto pokolenie.37 Jeruzalem, Jeruzalem, ktorý zabíjaš prorokov a kameňuješ tých, čo boli k tebe poslaní, koľko ráz som chcel zhromaždiť tvoje deti, ako sliepka zhromažďuje svoje kuriatka pod krídla, a nechceli ste!38 Hľa, váš dom vám ostáva pustý.39 Lebo vám hovorím: Odteraz ma neuvidíte, až kým nebudete hovoriť: »Požehnaný, ktorý prichádza v mene Pánovom.«“

MATTHEW 23

Jesus Condemns the Pharisees //and the Teachers of //the Law of Moses

(Mark 12.38-40; Luke 11.37-52; 20.45-47)

1 Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
2 The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law are experts in the Law of Moses.

3 So obey everything they teach you, but don't do as they do. After all, they say one thing and do something else.
4 They pile heavy burdens on people's shoulders and won't lift a finger to help. 5 t Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tasselst for everyone to see. 6 They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues.

7 And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers.
8 But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters. 9 Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven. 10 None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. 11 t Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others.

12 t If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.

13-14 You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You won't go in yourselves, and you keep others from going in.t

15 You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You travel over land and sea to win one follower. And when you have done so, you make that person twice as fit for hell as you are.
16 You are in for trouble! You are supposed to lead others, but you are blind. You teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the temple. But you say it does matter if someone swears by the gold in the temple.

17 You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 You also teach that it doesn't matter if a person swears by the altar. But you say it does matter if someone swears by the gift on the altar. 19 Are you blind? Which is more important, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Anyone who swears by the altar also swears by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple also swears by God, who lives there.

22 t To swear by heaven is the same as swearing by God's throne and by the one who sits on that throne.
23  t You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You give God a tenth of the spices from your garden, such as mint, dill, and cumin. Yet you neglect the more important matters of the Law, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the important things you should have done, though you should not have left the others undone either.

24 You blind leaders! You strain out a small fly but swallow a camel.
25 You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You wash the outside of your cups and dishes, while inside there is nothing but greed and selfishness.

26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of a cup, and then the outside will also be clean.
27  t You Pharisees and teachers are in for trouble! You're nothing but show-offs. You're like tombs that have been whitewashed.t On the outside they are beautiful, but inside they are full of bones and filth.

28 That's what you are like. Outside you look good, but inside you are evil and only pretend to be good.
29 You Pharisees and teachers are nothing but show-offs, and you're in for trouble! You build monuments for the prophets and decorate the tombs of good people. 30 And you claim you would not have taken part with your ancestors in killing the prophets. 31 But you prove you really are the relatives of the ones who killed the prophets. 32 So keep on doing everything they did.

33 t You are nothing but snakes and the children of snakes! How can you escape going to hell?
34 I will send to you prophets and wise people and experts in the Law of Moses. You will kill them or nail them to a cross or beat them in your synagogues or chase them from town to town. 35 t That's why you will be held guilty for the murder of every good person, beginning with the good man Abel. This also includes Barachiah's son Zechariah, t the man you murdered between the temple and the altar.

36 I can promise that you people living today will be punished for all these things!

Jesus Loves Jerusalem

(Luke 13.34,35)

39 t You won't see me again until you say,
“Blessed is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord.”