16. “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You guide the people, but you are blind. You say, ‘If anyone swears by the Temple when he makes a promise, that means nothing. But if anyone swears by the gold that is in the Temple, then he must keep that promise.’
17. You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold or the Temple? The Temple makes that gold holy.
18. And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar when he makes a promise, that means nothing. But if he swears by the gift on the altar, then he must keep his promise.’
19. You are blind! Which is greater: the gift or the altar? The altar makes the gift holy.
20. The person who swears by the altar is really using the altar and also everything on the altar.
21. And the person who uses the Temple to make a promise is really using the Temple and also everything in the Temple.
22. The person who uses heaven to make a promise is also using God’s throne and the One who sits on that throne.
23. “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to God one-tenth of everything you earn—even your mint, dill, and cummin. But you don’t obey the really important teachings of the law—being fair, showing mercy, and being loyal. These are the things you should do, as well as those other things.
24. You guide the people, but you are blind! You are like a person who picks a fly out of his drink and then swallows a camel!
25. “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You wash the outside of your cups and dishes. But inside they are full of things that you got by cheating others and pleasing only yourselves.
26. Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean and good. Then the outside of the cup can be truly clean.
27. “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites! You are like tombs that are painted white. Outside, those tombs look fine. But inside, they are full of the bones of dead people, and all kinds of unclean things are there.