Matthew Chapter 15 Back Next{15:1} Then Pharisees and scribes came to
Jesus from
Jerusalem, saying,
{15:2} "Why do your
disciples disobey the tradition of the
elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat
bread."
{15:3} He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
{15:4} For God commanded, 'Honor your
father and your mother,'[
Ref] and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to
death.'[
Ref]
{15:5} But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a
gift devoted to God,"
{15:6} he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.
{15:7} You
hypocrites! Well did
Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
{15:8} 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their
heart is far from me.
{15:9} And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"[
Ref]
{15:10} He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and understand.
{15:11} That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
{15:12} Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"
{15:13} But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted.
{15:14} Leave them alone. They are
blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."
{15:15} Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us."
{15:16} So Jesus said, "Do you also still not understand?
{15:17} Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the
belly, and then out of the body?
{15:18} But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
{15:19} For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
{15:20} These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn't defile the man."
{15:21} Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.
{15:22} Behold, a
Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of
David! My daughter is severely demonized!"
{15:23} But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us."
{15:24} But he answered, "I wasn't sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of
Israel."
{15:25} But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."
{15:26} But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
{15:27} But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
{15:28} Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that hour.
{15:29} Jesus departed there, and came near to the
sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.
{15:30} Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them,
{15:31} so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing--and they glorified the God of Israel.
{15:32} Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away
fasting, or they might faint on the way."
{15:33} The disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?"
{15:34} Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small
fish."
{15:35} He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;
{15:36} and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
{15:37} They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven
baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.
{15:38} Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
{15:39} Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of
Magdala.
Matthew Chapter 15 Back Next