~ Woe to You ~

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees,
you hypocrites!
You give a tenth of your spices --
mint, dill and cummin.
But you have neglected
the more important matters of the law --
justice, mercy and faithfulness.
You should have practiced the latter,
without neglecting the former.
You blind guides!
You strain out a gnat
but swallow a camel.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees,
you hypocrites!
You clean the outside of the cup and dish,
but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee!
First clean the inside of the cup and dish,
and then the outside also will be clean.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how often I have longed to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
but you were not willing.
Look, your house is left to you desolate,
For I tell you,
you will not see Me again until you say,
'Blessed is He who comes in he name of the Lord.'"

(Matthew 23:23-26, 37-39)