| Matt. 23:13 | Not letting others enter the Kingdom of Heaven and not entering yourselves |
| Matt. 23:15 | Converting people away from God to be like yourselves |
| Matt. 23:16-22 | Blindly leading God’s people to follow man-made traditions instead of God’s Word |
| Matt. 23:23, 24 | Involving yourself in every last detail and ignoring what is really important: justice, mercy, and faith |
| Matt. 23:25, 26 | Keeping up appearances while your private world is corrupt |
| Matt. 23:27, 28 | Acting spiritual to cover up sin |
| Matt. 23:29-36 | Pretending to have learned from past history, but your present behavior shows you have learned nothing |
Jesus mentioned seven ways to guarantee God’s anger when he told the religious leaders about the “seven woes.” These seven statements were strong and unforgettable. They are still applicable anytime we become so involved in perfecting the practice of religion that we forget that God is also concerned with mercy, real love, and forgiveness.