The Pharisee stood and prayed these things about himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men: extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
“When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
For you say, ‘I am rich, and have stored up goods, and have need of nothing,’ yet do not realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
For all who rely on the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the Book of the Law, to do them.”
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet upon the Lord they lean, saying, “Is not the Lord in our midst? Evil will not come upon us.”
They come to you as people come, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them. They do the lustful desires in their mouth, and their heart goes after their covetousness.
But where are your gods that you have made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.
Yet they seek Me daily and delight to know My ways, as a nation that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching God.
For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will in no way enter the kingdom of heaven.