17. You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?
18. And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.'
19. You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?
20. Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.
21. And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it.
22. And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
23. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
24. You 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 dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
26. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27. "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 men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
30. and 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 are sons of those who murdered the prophets.