The Life of Jesus

"The Torah-teachers and the P'rushim," he said, "sit in the seat of Moshe.

So whatever they tell you, take care to do it. But don't do what they do, because they talk but don't act!

They tie heavy loads onto people's shoulders but won't lift a finger to help carry them

Everything they do is done to be seen by others; for they make their t'fillin broad and their tzitziyot long,

they love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues,

and they love being greeted deferentially in the marketplaces and being called `Rabbi.'

"But you are not to let yourselves be called `Rabbi'; because you have one Rabbi, and you are all each other's brothers.

And do not call anyone on earth `Father.' because you have one Father, and he is in heaven.

Nor are you to let yourselves be called `leaders,' because you have one Leader, and he is the Messiah!

The greatest among you must be your servant,

for whoever promotes himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be promoted.

"But woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P'rushim! For you are shutting the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces, neither entering yourselves nor allowing those who wish to enter to do so.

Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P'rushim! For you swallow up widow's houses while making a show of davvening at great length. Because of this your punishment will be all the worse

"Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P'rushim! You go about over land and sea to make one proselyte; and when you succeed, you make him twice as fit for Gei-Hinnom as you are!

"Woe to you, you blind guides! You say, `If someone swears by the Temple, he is not bound by his oath; but if he swears by the gold in the Temple, he is bound.'

You blind fools! Which is more important? the gold? or the Temple which makes the gold holy?

And you say, `If someone swears by the altar, he is not bound by his oath; but if he swears by the offering on the altar, he is bound.'

Blind men! Which is more important? the sacrifice? or the altar which makes the sacrifice holy

So someone who swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it.

And someone who swears by the Temple swears by it and the One who lives in it

And someone who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and the One who sits on it.

"Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P'rushim! You pay your tithes of mint, dill and cumin; but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Torah -- justice, mercy, trust. These are the things you should have attended to -- without neglecting the others!

Blind guides! -- straining out a gnat, meanwhile swallowing a camel!

"Woe to you hypocritical Torah-teachers and P'rushim! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self indulgence.

Blind Parush! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may be clean too.