Tell the Truth

³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors,You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.^{[a](A) 34} But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; ³⁵ or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.^{(B) 36} Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.^(C)

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides,^(A) who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath^(B) by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’^{[a] 17} Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁹ Blind people!^[b] For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?^{(C) 20} Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. ²¹ The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells^(D) in it. ²² And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne^(E) and by him who sits on it.^(F)

⁹ He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up^[a] your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses^(A) said: Honor your father and your mother; ^[b](B) and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.^{[c](C) 11} But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit^(D) you might have received from me is corban’” (that is, an offering^(E) devoted to God), ¹² “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ You nullify the word of God^(F) by your tradition that you have handed^(G) down. And you do many other similar things.”