21. And anyone who uses the Temple to make a promise is really using the Temple and God, who lives in it.
22. Whoever uses heaven to make a promise is using God’s throne and the one who is seated on it.
23. “It will be bad for you teachers of the law and you Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give God a tenth of the food you get, even your mint, dill, and cumin. But you don’t obey the really important teachings of the law—being fair, showing mercy, and being faithful. These are the things you should do. And you should also continue to do those other things.
24. You guide the people, but you are blind! Think about a man picking a little fly out of his drink and then swallowing a camel! You are like that.
25. “It will be bad for you teachers of the law and you Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You wash clean the outside of your cups and dishes. But inside they are full of what you got by cheating others and pleasing yourselves.
26. Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean and good. Then the outside of the cup will also be clean.
27. “It will be bad for you teachers of the law and you Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You are like tombs that are painted white. Outside they look fine, but inside they are full of dead people’s bones and all kinds of filth.
28. It is the same with you. People look at you and think you are godly. But on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil.