Matthew 23
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Matthew chapter 23 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
20 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 3 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, and Saint Augustine.
Matthew 23
1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησε τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ,
2saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat.λέγων, Ἐπὶ τῆς Μωσέως καθέδρας ἐκάθισαν οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι·
3Therefore whatever they may say to you to observe, observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπωσιν ὑμῖν τηρεῖν, τηρεῖτε καὶ ποιεῖτε· κατὰ δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν μὴ ποιεῖτε, λέγουσι γὰρ καὶ οὐ ποιοῦσι.
4For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they do not desire to move them with their finger.δεσμεύουσι γὰρ φορτία βαρέα καὶ δυσβάστακτα, καὶ ἐπιτιθέασιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τῷ δὲ δακτύλῳ αὐτῶν οὐ θέλουσι κινῆσαι αὐτά.
5But all their works they do in order to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and they enlarge the borders of their garments.Πάντα δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ποιοῦσι πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις· πλατύνουσι δὲ τὰ φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν, καὶ μεγαλύνουσι τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἱματίων αὐτῶν·
6They love the first couch at banquets, and the best seats in the synagogues,φιλοῦσί τε τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις, καὶ τὰς πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς,
7and greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’καὶ τοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, καὶ καλεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, Ῥαββί, ῥαββί·
8But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brothers.ὑμεῖς δὲ μὴ κληθῆτε Ῥαββί· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὑμῶν ὁ καθηγητής, ὁ Χριστός· πάντες δὲ ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί ἐστε.
9Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.καὶ πατέρα μὴ καλέσητε ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· εἷς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
10Neither be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.μηδὲ κληθῆτε καθηγηταί· εἷς γὰρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν ὁ καθηγητής, ὁ Χριστός.
11But the greatest of you shall be your servant.ὁ δὲ μείζων ὑμῶν ἔσται ὑμῶν διάκονος.
12And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.ὅστις δὲ ὑψώσει ἑαυτόν, ταπεινωθήσεται· καὶ ὅστις ταπεινώσει ἑαυτόν, ὑψωθήσεται.
13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.Οὐαὶ δὲ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κατεσθίετε τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν, καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσευχόμενοι· διὰ τοῦτο λήψεσθε περισσότερον κρίμα.
14“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the kingdom of heaven before men; for you do not enter, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὑμεῖς γὰρ οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθε, οὐδὲ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἀφίετε εἰσελθεῖν.
15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you travel around land and sea to make one proselyte, and whenever he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you.Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί, ὅτι περιάγετε τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ τὴν ξηρὰν ποιῆσαι ἕνα προσήλυτον, καὶ ὅταν γένηται, ποιεῖτε αὐτὸν υἱὸν γεέννης διπλότερον ὑμῶν.
16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, is obligated.’Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, οἱ λέγοντες, Ὃς ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ ναῷ, οὐδέν ἐστιν· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ χρυσῷ τοῦ ναοῦ, ὀφείλει.
17Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί· τίς γὰρ μείζων ἐστίν, ὁ χρυσός, ἢ ὁ ναὸς ὁ ἁγιάζων τὸν χρυσόν;
18And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, is obligated.’καί, Ὃς ἐὰν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, οὐδέν ἐστιν· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ὀμόσῃ ἐν τῷ δώρῳ τῷ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, ὀφείλει.
19Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?μωροὶ καὶ τυφλοί· τί γὰρ μεῖζον, τὸ δῶρον, ἢ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ ἁγιάζον τὸ δῶρον;
20Therefore he that swears by the altar, swears by it and by all the things on it.ὁ οὖν ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ·
21He that swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwelt in it.καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ὀμνύει ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ κατοικήσαντι αὐτόν·
22And he that swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὀμνύει ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ.
23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the more important things of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not have neglected the others.Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί, ὅτι ἀποδεκατοῦτε τὸ ἡδύοσμον καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον καὶ τὸ κύμινον, καὶ ἀφήκατε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὸν ἔλεον καὶ τὴν πίστιν· ταῦτα ἔδει ποιῆσαι, κἀκεῖνα μὴ ἀφιέναι.
24Blind guides, you who strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel!ὁδηγοὶ τυφλοί, οἱ διϋλίζοντες τὸν κώνωπα, τὴν δὲ κάμηλον καταπίνοντες.
25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and unrighteousness.Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί, ὅτι καθαρίζετε τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς καὶ ἀδικίας.
26Blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside of them may be clean also.Φαρισαῖε τυφλέ, καθάρισον πρῶτον τὸ ἐντὸς τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἵνα γένηται καὶ τὸ ἐκτὸς αὐτῶν καθαρόν.
27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness.Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί, ὅτι παρομοιάζετε τάφοις κεκονιαμένοις, οἵτινες ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνονται ὡραῖοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ὀστέων νεκρῶν καὶ πάσης ἀκαθαρσίας.
28Thus also you outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνεσθε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δίκαιοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ μεστοί ἐστε ὑποκρίσεως καὶ ἀνομίας.
29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί, ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων,
30and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’καὶ λέγετε, Εἰ ἦμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν κοινωνοὶ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν.
31“So that you testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the prophets.ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας·
32And you, fill up then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.καὶ ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν.
33Serpents! Brood of vipers! How shall you escape from the condemnation of hell?ὄφεις, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς φύγητε ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τῆς γεέννης;
34Therefore, behold, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and you will crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and you will persecute from city to city,διὰ τοῦτο, ἰδού, ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς· καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε καὶ σταυρώσετε, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν·
35so that on you may come all the righteous blood being shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.ὅπως ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς πᾶν αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχυνόμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἄβελ τοῦ δικαίου ἕως τοῦ αἵματος Ζαχαρίου υἱοῦ Βαραχίου, ὃν ἐφονεύσατε μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.
36Assuredly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation.ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἥξει πάντα ταῦτα ἐπὶ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην.
37“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often would I have gathered your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!Ἱερουσαλήμ, Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτένουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν, ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ἐπισυνάγει ὄρνις τὰ νοσσία ἑαυτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε.
38Behold, your house is left to you desolate.ἰδού, ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος.
39For I say to you, you shall by no means see Me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν, οὐ μή με ἴδητε ἀπ᾽ ἄρτι ἕως ἂν εἴπητε, Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου.
The Fathers on Matthew 23
Saint John Chrysostom, Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid, and Saint Augustine comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Matthew 23:1–3Saint John ChrysostomThen. When? When He had said these things, when He had stopped their mouths; when He had brought them that they should no more dare to tempt Him; when He had shown their state incurable.
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 23:1–3Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid1-3. Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do, but do not ye in the manner of their works: for they say, and do not. When He has shut...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:14Saint John ChrysostomAfter this, next He derides them for gluttony: and the grievous thing was, that not from rich men’s goods, but from the poor they indulged their own belly, and aggravated their poverty, which they should have relieved. For neither did they
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 23:14Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. He calls them hypocrites for professing piety and doing nothing worthy of what they profess, but instead,...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:29–30Saint John ChrysostomNot because they build, nor because they blame the others, doth He say, woe, but because, while both thus, and by what they say, they are pretending to condemn their fathers, they do worse. For in proof that the condemnation was a pretense,
Read Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew →
On Matthew 23:29–31Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid29-31. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:39Saint AugustineMatthew proceeds with his account, observing the following order of narration: “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all, therefore, whatsoever they...
Read The Harmony of the Gospels →
On Matthew 23:37–39Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid37-39. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate....
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:4–5Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid4-5. 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. But all their works they do for to be seen by men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:6–7Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid6-7. They love the place of honour at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. Alas! What is He saying? They are condemned even for loving these things. If he who only loves the place of honor is...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:8–12Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid8-12. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Teacher, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, Who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters, for one is your Master, the Christ. But he that is greatest...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:13Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid13. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, nor allow ye them that are entering to go in. Not only, He says, are you unbelievers who lead a corrupt life, but you teach others not to...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:15Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid15. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the son of gehenna than yourselves. Not only, He says, do you corrupt the Jews, but also those who come to the Jewish religion...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:16–22Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid16-22. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, who say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:23–24Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid23-24. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, discernment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, without neglecting the others. Ye blind guides, which strain at...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:25–26Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid25-26. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:27–28Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid27-28. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:32–33Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid32-33. Fill ye up also the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye brood of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of gehenna? He neither bids them nor impels them towards their plan to kill Him when He says, "Fill ye up also the measure of your fathers." Rather, this is...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:34Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid34. Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city. He reproves them for saying falsely, "If we had been in the days...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →
On Matthew 23:35–36Open Matthew 23 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid35-36. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zachariah son of Baruch, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. He...
Read The Explanation by Blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew →