"The Phariseestoodand was prayingthisto himself:'God,I thankYou that I amnot likeother people:swindlers,unjust,adulterers,orevenlikethistax collector.
Behold,blessthe LORD,allservantsof the LORD,Who serveby nightin the houseof the LORD!
You whostandin the houseof the LORD,In the courtsof the houseof our God!
Manya manproclaimshis ownloyalty,But whocan finda trustworthyman?
There is a kindwho is purein his own eyes,Yet is not washedfrom his filthiness.
"So when you spreadout your hands[in prayer], I will hideMy eyesfrom you; Yes,eventhoughyou multiplyprayers,I will not listen.Your handsare coveredwith blood.
"Yet they seekMe dayby dayand delightto knowMy ways,As a nationthat has donerighteousnessAnd has not forsakenthe ordinanceof their God.They askMe [for] justdecisions,They delightin the nearnessof God.
"Who say,Keepto yourself, do not comenearme, For I am holierthan you!' Theseare smokein My nostrils,A firethat burnsallthe day.
"But whereare your godsWhichyou madefor yourself? Let them arise,ifthey can saveyou In the timeof your trouble;For [according to] the numberof your citiesAre your gods,O Judah.
Yet you said,'I am innocent;SurelyHis angeris turnedawayfrom me.' Behold,I will enterinto judgmentwith you Becauseyou say,'I have not sinned.'
"They cometo you as peoplecome,and sitbeforeyou [as] My peopleand hearyour words,but they do not dothem, for they dothe lustfuldesires[expressed] by their mouth,[and] their heartgoesaftertheir gain.
Her leaderspronouncejudgmentfor a bribe,Her priestsinstructfor a priceAnd her prophetsdivinefor money.Yet they leanon the LORDsaying,"Is not the LORDin our midst?Calamitywill not comeupon us."
Philipand Bartholomew;Thomasand Matthewthe tax collector;Jamesthe son of Alphaeus,and Thaddaeus;
"For I sayto you that unlessyour righteousnesssurpasses[that] of the scribesand Pharisees,you will not enterthe kingdomof heaven.
"Whenyou pray,you are not to be likethe hypocrites;for they loveto standand prayin the synagoguesand on the streetcornerssothat they may be seenby men.TrulyI sayto you, they havetheir rewardin full.
"Wheneveryou standpraying,forgive,ifyou haveanythingagainstanyone,sothat your Fatherwhois in heavenwill alsoforgiveyou your transgressions.
whodevourwidows'houses,and for appearance's sakeofferlongprayers.Thesewill receivegreatercondemnation."
And He withdrewfrom them abouta stone'sthrow,and He kneltdownand [began] to pray,
For as manyas are of the worksof the Laware undera curse;for it is written,"CURSEDIS EVERYONEWHODOES NOT ABIDEBY ALL THINGSWRITTENIN THE BOOKOF THE LAW,TO PERFORMTHEM."
as to zeal,a persecutorof the church;as to the righteousnesswhich is in the Law,foundblameless.
Becauseyou say,"I amrich,and have become wealthy,and haveneedof nothing,"and you do not knowthat you are wretchedand miserableand poorand blindand naked,
