Mark 12:38

¹Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, ²saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. ³All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. ⁴For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. ⁵But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteriesbroad ^[+] and enlarge the fringes^[+] of their garments, ⁶and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, ⁷the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’^[+] by men.

⁴⁵In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁶“Beware of those scribes who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts; ⁴⁷who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”

⁴³Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.

⁵“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.

⁷He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them, ⁸“When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him, ⁹and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, ‘Make room for this person.’ Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may tell you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

²He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,

¹⁷But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

⁹I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, doesn’t accept what we say.