20. When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it.
21. And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it.
22. And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
23. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
24. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
25. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!
26. You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.