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Matthew 15:3-9
King James Version
Matthew 15:3-9
King James Version
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
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Matthew 15:3-9
New International Version
Matthew 15:3-9
New International Version
3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’[a](A) and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[b](B) 5 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6 they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
Footnotes
- Matthew 15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
- Matthew 15:4 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9
- Matthew 15:9 Isaiah 29:13
Matthew 15:3-9
Lexham English Bible
Matthew 15:3-9
Lexham English Bible
3 So he answered and[a] said to them, “Why do you also break the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your[b] father and your[c] mother,’[d] and ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother must certainly die[e].’[f] 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his[g] father or his[h] mother, “Whatever benefit you would have received[i] from me is a gift to God,” 6 need not honor his father,’[j] and you make void the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah correctly prophesied about you saying,
8 ‘This people honors me with their[k] lips,
but their heart is far, far away from me,
9 and they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”[l]
Footnotes
- Matthew 15:3 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Matthew 15:4 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 15:4 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 15:4 A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
- Matthew 15:4 Literally “let him die the death”
- Matthew 15:4 A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9
- Matthew 15:5 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 15:5 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 15:5 Literally “you would have been benefited”
- Matthew 15:6 Most later manuscripts add “or his mother”
- Matthew 15:8 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Matthew 15:9 A quotation from Isa 29:13
Matthew 15:3-9
English Standard Version
Matthew 15:3-9
English Standard Version
3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, (A)‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, (B)‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”[a] 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have (C)made void the word[b] of God. 7 (D)You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 (E)“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as (F)doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Footnotes
- Matthew 15:5 Or is an offering
- Matthew 15:6 Some manuscripts law
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Lexham English Bible (LEB)
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.