Matthew 23–26

1Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,

2saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.

3All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do.

4For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.

5But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments,

6and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

7the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.

8But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

9Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

10Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.

11But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

14“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.

15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.

16“Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’

17You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’

19You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

20He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it.

21He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living in it.

22He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.

23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

24You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!

25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.

26You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.

27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness.

28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous,

30and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

31Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.

32Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

33You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?

34Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,

35that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.

36Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

38Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

39For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

1Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.

2But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”

3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.

6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.

7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.

8But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.

9“Then they will deliver you up to oppression and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.

10Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

11Many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray.

12Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.

13But he who endures to the end will be saved.

14This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

15“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

17Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house.

18Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.

19But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!

20Pray that your flight will not be in the winter nor on a Sabbath,

21for then there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.

22Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.

23“Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There!’ don’t believe it.

24For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

25“Behold, I have told you beforehand.

26“If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it.

27For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

28For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together.

29“But immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;

30and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

31He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

32“Now from the fig tree learn this parable: When its branch has now become tender and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near.

33Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that he is near, even at the doors.

34Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished.

35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

36“But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

37As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

38For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship,

39and they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

40Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left.

41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left.

42Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.

43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

44Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.

45“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?

46Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.

47Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.

48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’

49and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,

50the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,

51and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.

1“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

3Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,

4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’

7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

9But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

10While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

11Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’

12But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

13Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

14“For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them.

15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his own ability. Then he went on his journey.

16Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

17In the same way, he also who got the two gained another two.

18But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.

19“Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them.

20He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold, I have gained another five talents in addition to them.’

21“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

22“He also who got the two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold, I have gained another two talents in addition to them.’

23“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things. I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24“He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you didn’t sow, and gathering where you didn’t scatter.

25I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.’

26“But his lord answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter.

27You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

28Take away therefore the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

29For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance, but from him who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away.

30Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

31“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

32Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

35for I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in.

36I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.’

37“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink?

38When did we see you as a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you?

39When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’

40“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels;

42for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink;

43I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; naked, and you didn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

44“Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’

45“Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’

46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

1When Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples,

2“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

3Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas.

4They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit and kill him.

5But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”

6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

7a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table.

8But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?

9For this ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

10However, knowing this, Jesus said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for me.

11For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.

12For in pouring this ointment on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

13Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of as a memorial of her.”

14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” So they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.

16From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

17Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

18He said, “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.”’”

19The disciples did as Jesus commanded them, and they prepared the Passover.

20Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.

21As they were eating, he said, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”

22They were exceedingly sorrowful, and each began to ask him, “It isn’t me, is it, Lord?”

23He answered, “He who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me.

24The Son of Man goes even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for that man if he had not been born.”

25Judas, who betrayed him, answered, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You said it.”

26As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

27He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it,

28for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.

29But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.”

33But Peter answered him, “Even if all will be made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”

34Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you that tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

35Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” All of the disciples also said likewise.

36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go there and pray.”

37He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled.

38Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me.”

39He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.”

40He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?

41Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42Again, a second time he went away and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup can’t pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done.”

43He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

44He left them again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words.

45Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

46Arise, let’s be going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand.”

47While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

48Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whoever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him.”

49Immediately he came to Jesus, and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

50Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

51Behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take the sword will die by the sword.

53Or do you think that I couldn’t ask my Father, and he would even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

54How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?”

55In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me.

56But all this has happened that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

57Those who had taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.

58But Peter followed him from a distance to the court of the high priest, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.

59Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death,

60and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward

61and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’”

62The high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that these testify against you?”

63But Jesus stayed silent. The high priest answered him, “I adjure you by the living God that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

64Jesus said to him, “You have said so. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.”

65Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy.

66What do you think?” They answered, “He is worthy of death!”

67Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him,

68saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?”

69Now Peter was sitting outside in the court, and a maid came to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus, the Galilean!”

70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

71When he had gone out onto the porch, someone else saw him and said to those who were there, “This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72Again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.”

73After a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them, for your speech makes you known.”

74Then he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately the rooster crowed.

75Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Then he went out and wept bitterly.