27 (A)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 (B)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves, that you (C)are [a]sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 [b]Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33 You snakes, (D)you [c]offspring of vipers, how [d]will you escape the [e]sentence of [f](E)hell?

34 (F)Therefore, behold, (G)I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will (H)flog in your synagogues, and (I)persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous (J)Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the (K)son of Berechiah, whom (L)you murdered between the [g]temple and the altar. 36 Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon (M)this generation.

Grieving over Jerusalem

37 (N)Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who (O)kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, (P)the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, (Q)your house is being left to you desolate! 39 For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘(R)Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:31 Or descendants
  2. Matthew 23:32 I.e., finish what they started
  3. Matthew 23:33 Or brood
  4. Matthew 23:33 Lit are you to escape
  5. Matthew 23:33 Or judgment
  6. Matthew 23:33 Gr Gehenna
  7. Matthew 23:35 Or sanctuary

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