The most sacred Bible, whiche is the Holy Scripture conteyning the Old and New Testament / translated into English, and newly recognised with great diligence after most faythful exemplars, by Rychard Taverner.

¶ Christe cryeth wo ouer the Pharises Scribes and hypocrites / and prophecieth the destruction of Ierusalem.

CAPI. XXIII.

THen spake Iesus to the people, and to [ A] his disciples, sayeng: The Scribes and Pharisesφ 1.1 syt in Moses chayre. Al ther∣fore whatsoeuer they byd you kepe, that kepe and do: but after their workes do not: for they saye, and do not. For they bynde heuy burdēs and greuous to be borne, and laye theym on mennes shoulders: but they them selues will not moue theym with their fynger. All their workes they do, to be sene of men. They set abrode their philacteries, and make large bor∣ders on their garmentes, and loue to syt vp∣permoste at feastes, and to haue the chefe sea∣tes in the assembles, & gretynges in the mar∣kettes, and to be called of men Rabbi.

But ye shall not suffre youreselues to be [ B] called Rabbi. For one is youre master, that is to wyt Christ, and all ye are brethren. And call no man youre father vpon the earthe, for there is but one your father, and he is in hea∣uen. Be not called masters, for there is but one your master, and he is Christ. He that is greatest amonge you, shalbe youre seruaunt. But whosoeuer exalteth hym selfe, shalbe hū∣bled. And he that humbleth hym selfe, shalbe exalted. Wo be vnto you Scribes and Phari∣ses,

Hypocrites, because ye shut vp the kyng∣dome of Heauen before men: for ye youre sel∣ues go not in, nether suffre ye them that come to enter in.

Wo be to you Scribes and Pharises, Hy∣pocrites: because ye deuoure wydowes hou∣ses: and that vnder a colour of prayenge longe prayers, wherfore ye shall receaue the greater damnacion.

Wo be to you Scribes and Pharises, Hy∣pocrites, which cōpasse see and lande, to bring one into your belefe: and when he is brought ye make hym two folde moare the chylde of hell, then ye your selues are.

Wo be vnto you blynde guydes, which say: Who so euer sweare by the temple, it is no∣thynge: but who so euer sweareth by the gold of the temple, is bounde. Ye foles and blynde: whether is greater the golde or the temple that sanctifyeth the golde? And who so euer sweareth by the aulter, it is nothinge: But whosoeuer sweareth by the offerynge that ly∣eth on the aulter, is bounde. Ye foles and blynde: whether is greater the offerynge, or the aulter whiche sanctifyeth the offerynge? Who so euer therfore sweareth by the aulter, sweareth by it, and by all that there on is. [ C] And whosoeuer sweareth by the temple, swea¦reth by it and by hym that dwelleth therin. And he that sweareth by heauen, sweareth by the trone of God, and by hym that sytteth theron.

Wo be to you Scribes and Pharises, Hy∣pocrites, whiche do tyth mynt, anyse, and cō∣myn, and leaue the wayghtyer matters of the lawe vndone: iudgement, mercy, and faithe. These ought ye to haue done, and not to leaue the other vndone. Ye blynde guydes whiche strayne out a gnat, and swalowe a camell.

Wo be to you Scribes and Pharises, Hy∣pocrites, whiche make cleane the vtter syde of the cuppe, and of the platter: but within they are full of rauyne and excesse. Thou blynde Pharyse, clense first the innerside of the cup and platter, that the outesyde of them maye be cleane also.

Wo be to you Scribes and Pharises, Hy∣pocrites, for ye are lyke vnto paynted tombes which appeare beautyful outwardely: but are within full of dead bones, and of al fylthynes. So also ye, outwardely ye appeare righteous vnto men, when within, ye are full hypocrisy and wickednes.

Wo be vnto you Scribes and Pharises hy¦pocrites: for ye buylde the tombes of the Pro∣phetes, [ D] and garnysshe the sepulchres of the ryghteous, and saye: yf we hadde bene in the dayes of our fathers, we wold not haue bene parteners with them, in the bloud of the Pro¦phetes. So then ye be wytnesses vnto youre selues, that ye are the children of them which kylled the Prophetes. Fulfill ye also the mea¦sure of your fathers. Ye serpentes and genera∣cion of vipers, howe shulde ye escape the iud∣gement of hell?

✚ Wherfore, beholde I sende you Prophe∣tes, wyse men and scribes, of them some ye shall kyll and crucyfye: & some ye shall scourge in youre assembles, and pursue frome cytie to cytie, that vpon you maye come all the rygh∣teous bloude that was sheed vpon the erthe, frome the bloude of ryghteous Abell, vnto y^e bloude of Zachary, the sonne of Barachias, whome ye slewe betwene the temple and the aulter. Verely I saye vnto you, all these thin∣ges shall lyght vpon this generacion. Ieru∣salem, Ierusalem whiche kyllest the Prophe∣tes,* 1.2 and stoneste them whiche are sent to the: howe often wolde I haue gathered thy chyl∣dren togyther, as the hen gathereth her chic∣kens vnder her wynges, and ye wolde not: Beholde, youre habitacion shalbe lefte vnto you desolate. For I saye to you, ye shall not se me hence forth, tyll that ye saye: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lorde. ⊦

Notes

• φ 1.1

  To sit in Moses chair, is to teache, not theyr own dremes, but the lawe of god, pro∣mulgate by Moses.
• * 1.2

  Luce .xiii. d