Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. Matthew (Chapter 23)
Then Jesus told his disciples
And crowds, ‘As scribes and Pharisees all sit
In Moses’ chair, do all they tell;
Observe all things they tend to say,
But don’t follow their example,
For, they preach but do not practice.’
‘They place too heavy burdens on
Shoulders of people to carry
But will not help even a bit.’
‘They do things so that they are seen;
They widen their phylacteries,
And lengthen their tassels often;
They love honor at banquet-halls;
Be exalted in synagogues;
Be greeted in market-places;
Get salutation as ‘Rabbi’.’
‘As for you, don’t be called, ’ Rabbi’.
You are brothers with one Teacher.
You have one father in heaven;
Call no one as father on earth;
You’ve one Master, the ‘Messiah’.
Do not be called ‘master’ on earth;
The greatest must be your servant;
Whoev’r exalts shall be humbled;
He who humbles is exalted.’
‘Then woe to you scribes, Pharisees;
You are all hypocrites who lock
The gates of heaven to mankind;
Neither do you enter yourselves,
Nor allow others to enter.’
‘Then woe to you o hypocrites,
You cross the seas and traverse lands
For sake of making one convert
And when that happens, you make him
A Gehenna’s child, twice as you.’
‘O woe to you blind guides who say,
‘To swear by temple is just naught;
But swearing by its gold is not.
Which is greater, gold or temple
That gives the gold its sanctity? ’
‘To swear by altar, it means naught;
To swear by altar-gifts is not.
Which is greater, gift or altar
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poem by John Celes
Added by Poetry Lover
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