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For their legalistic and loveless practices, Jesus pronounces six woes on the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Let’s guard against the proud spirit of the Pharisees, and with humbled hearts daily seek God’s forgiveness.

BibleGateway: Luke 11:37-54

ESV Text: Luke 11:37-54


KJV Text: Luke 11:37-54

The section starts at about 5:10 and ends at about 7:39

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     37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. 38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. 39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. 40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? 41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. 42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. 44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. 45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. 46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. 53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.(KJV)


Hymn: TLH 323 :
With Broken Heart and Contrite Sigh

Hymnary.org — Organ Audio

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1. With broken heart and contrite sigh,
A trembling sinner, Lord, I cry.
Thy pardoning grace is rich and free,–
O God, be merciful to me!

2. I smite upon my troubled breast,
With deep and conscious guilt opprest:
Christ and His cross my only plea,–
O God, be merciful to me!

3. Far off I stand with tearful eyes
Nor dare uplift them to the skies;
But Thou dost all my anguish see,–
O God, be merciful to me!

4. Nor alms nor deeds that I have done
Can for a single sin atone.
To Calvary alone I flee,–
O God, be merciful to me!

5. And when, redeemed from sin and hell,
With all the ransomed throng I dwell,
My raptured song shall ever be,
O God, be merciful to me!