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Matthew 15
New English Translation

Breaking Human Traditions

15 Then Pharisees[a] and experts in the law[b] came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said,[c] 2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their[d] hands when they eat.”[e] 3 He answered them,[f] “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said,[g] ‘Honor your father and mother’[h] and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’[i] 5 But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,”[j] 6 he does not need to honor his father.’[k] You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,

8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart[l] is far from me,
9 and they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”[m]

True Defilement

10 Then he called the crowd to him and said,[n] “Listen and understand. 11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what[o] comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that when the Pharisees[p] heard this saying they were offended?” 13 And he replied,[q] “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them! They are blind guides.[r] If someone who is blind leads another who is blind,[s] both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter[t] said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 Jesus[u] said, “Even after all this, are you still so foolish? 17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer?[v] 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.”[w]

A Canaanite Woman’s Faith

21 After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A[x] Canaanite woman from that area came[y] and cried out,[z] “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” 23 But he did not answer her a word. Then[aa] his disciples came and begged him,[ab] “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” 24 So[ac] he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and bowed down[ad] before him and said,[ae] “Lord, help me!” 26 “It is not right[af] to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,”[ag] he said.[ah] 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied,[ai] “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then[aj] Jesus answered her, “Woman,[ak] your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Healing Many Others

29 When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down. 30 Then[al] large crowds came to him bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others. They[am] laid them at his feet, and he healed them. 31 As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

32 Then Jesus called his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry since they may faint on the way.” 33 The disciples said to him, “Where can we get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy so great a crowd?” 34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven—and a few small fish.” 35 After instructing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds.[an] 37 They[ao] all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 38 Not counting children and women,[ap] there were 4,000 men who ate.[aq] 39 After sending away the crowd, he got into the boat[ar] and went to the region of Magadan.[as]

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:1 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
  2. Matthew 15:1 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
  3. Matthew 15:1 tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) has been translated as a finite verb so that its telic (i.e., final or conclusive) force can be more easily detected: The Pharisees and legal experts came to Jesus in order to speak with him.
  4. Matthew 15:2 tc ‡ Although most witnesses read the genitive plural pronoun αὐτῶν (autōn, “their”), it may have been motivated by clarification (as it is in the translation above). Several other authorities do not have the pronoun, however (א B Δ 073 ƒ1 579 700 892 1424 f g1); the lack of an unintentional oversight as the reason for omission strengthens their combined testimony in this shorter reading. NA28 has the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
  5. Matthew 15:2 tn Grk “when they eat bread.”
  6. Matthew 15:3 tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.”
  7. Matthew 15:4 tc Most mss (א*,2b C L N W Γ Δ 0106 33 565 1241 1424 M) have an expanded introduction here; instead of “For God said,” they read “For God commanded, saying” (ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἐνετείλατο λέγων, ho gar theos eneteilato legōn). But such expansions are generally motivated readings; in this case, most likely it was due to the wording of the previous verse (“the commandment of God”) that caused early scribes to add to the text. Although it is possible that other witnesses reduced the text to the simple εἶπεν (eipen, “[God] said”) because of perceived redundancy with the statement in v. 3, such is unlikely in light of the great variety and age of these authorities (א2a B D Θ 073 ƒ1, 13 579 700 892 lat co, as well as other versions and fathers).
  8. Matthew 15:4 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.
  9. Matthew 15:4 sn A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9.
  10. Matthew 15:5 tn Grk “is a gift,” that is, something dedicated to God.
  11. Matthew 15:6 tc The logic of v. 5 would seem to demand that both father and mother are in view in v. 6. Indeed, the majority of mss (C L N W Γ Δ Θ 0106 ƒ1 1424 M) have “or his mother” (ἢ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, ē tēn mētera autou) after “honor his father” here. However, there are significant witnesses that have variations on this theme (καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ [kai tēn mētera autou, “and his mother”] in Φ 565 1241 bo and ἢ τὴν μητέρα [“or mother”] in 073 ƒ13 33 579 700 892), which is usually an indication of a predictable addition to the text rather than an authentic reading. Further, the shorter reading (without any mention of “mother”) is found in early and significant witnesses (א B D a e syc sa). Although it is possible that the shorter reading came about accidentally (due to the repetition of—ερα αὐτοῦ), the evidence more strongly suggests that the longer readings were intentional scribal alterations.tn Grk “he will never honor his father.” Here Jesus is quoting the Pharisees, whose intent is to release the person who is giving his possessions to God from the family obligation of caring for his parents. The verb in this phrase is future tense, and it is negated with οὐ μή (ou mē), the strongest negation possible in Greek. A literal translation of the phrase does not capture the intended sense of the statement; it would actually make the Pharisees sound as if they agreed with Jesus. Instead, a more interpretive translation has been used to focus upon the release from family obligations that the Pharisees allowed in these circumstances.sn Here Jesus refers to something that has been set aside as a gift to be given to God at some later date, but which is still in the possession of the owner. According to contemporary Jewish tradition, the person who made this claim was absolved from responsibility to support or assist his parents, a clear violation of the Mosaic law to honor one’s parents (v. 4).
  12. Matthew 15:8 tn The term “heart” is a collective singular in the Greek text.
  13. Matthew 15:9 sn A quotation from Isa 29:13.
  14. Matthew 15:10 tn Grk “And calling the crowd, he said to them.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesamenos) has been translated as attendant circumstance. The emphasis here is upon Jesus’ speaking to the crowd.
  15. Matthew 15:11 tn Grk “but what.”
  16. Matthew 15:12 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
  17. Matthew 15:13 tn Grk “And answering, he said.”
  18. Matthew 15:14 tc ‡ Most mss, some of which are significant, read “They are blind guides of the blind” (א2a C L N W Z Γ Δ Θ ƒ1, 13 33 579 700 1241 1424 M lat; SBL). The omission of “of the blind” is read by א*,2b B D 0237 Epiph. There is a distinct possibility of omission due to homoioarcton in א*; this manuscript has a word order variation which puts the word τυφλοί (tuphloi, “blind”) right before the word τυφλῶν (tuphlōn, “of the blind”). This does not explain the shorter reading, however, in the other witnesses, of which B and D are quite weighty. Internal considerations suggest that the shorter reading is autographic: “of the blind” was likely added by scribes to balance this phrase with Jesus’ following statement about the blind leading the blind, which clearly has two groups in view. A decision is difficult, but internal considerations here along with the strength of the witnesses argue that the shorter reading is more likely original. NA28 places τυφλῶν in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
  19. Matthew 15:14 tn Grk “If blind leads blind.”
  20. Matthew 15:15 tn Grk “And answering, Peter said to him.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
  21. Matthew 15:16 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  22. Matthew 15:17 tn Or “into the latrine.”
  23. Matthew 15:20 tn Grk “but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”
  24. Matthew 15:22 tn Grk “And behold a Canaanite.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
  25. Matthew 15:22 tn Grk The participle ἐξελθοῦσα (exelthousa) is here translated as a finite verb. The emphasis is upon her crying out to Jesus.
  26. Matthew 15:22 tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  27. Matthew 15:23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
  28. Matthew 15:23 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  29. Matthew 15:24 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The construction in Greek is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the disciples’ request.
  30. Matthew 15:25 tn In this context the verb προσκυνέω (proskuneō), which often describes worship, probably means simply bowing down to the ground in an act of reverence or supplication (see L&N 17.21).
  31. Matthew 15:25 tn Grk “she bowed down to him, saying.”
  32. Matthew 15:26 tn Grk “And answering, he said, ‘It is not right.’” The introductory phrase “answering, he said” has been simplified and placed at the end of the English sentence for stylistic reasons. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  33. Matthew 15:26 tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request.
  34. Matthew 15:26 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokritheis) is redundant and has not been translated.
  35. Matthew 15:27 tn Grk “she said.”
  36. Matthew 15:28 tn Grk “Then answering, Jesus said to her.” This expression has been simplified in the translation.
  37. Matthew 15:28 sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.
  38. Matthew 15:30 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
  39. Matthew 15:30 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  40. Matthew 15:36 tn Grk “was giving them to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowd.”
  41. Matthew 15:37 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  42. Matthew 15:38 tc ‡ Although most witnesses (B C L N W Γ Δ ƒ13 33 1424 M f sys,p,h mae) read “women and children” instead of “children and women,” this is likely a harmonization to Matt 14:21. A decision is difficult here, but since “children and women” is found in early and geographically widespread witnesses (e.g., א D [Θ ƒ1] 579 lat syc sa bo), and has more compelling internal arguments on its side, it is likely the reading of the initial text. NA28, however, agrees with the majority of witnesses.
  43. Matthew 15:38 tn Grk “And those eating were 4,000 men, apart from children and women.”
  44. Matthew 15:39 sn See the note at Matt 4:21 for a description of the first-century fishing boat discovered in 1986 near Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  45. Matthew 15:39 sn Magadan was a place along the Sea of Galilee, the exact location of which is uncertain.
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Matthew 15
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament

15 Then tote Pharisees Pharisaios and kai scribes grammateus came proserchomai to ho Jesus Iēsous from apo Jerusalem Hierosolyma, saying legō, 2 “ Why dia tis do · ho your sy disciples mathētēs break parabainō the ho tradition paradosis of the ho elders presbyteros? For gar they do not ou wash niptō · ho their autos hands cheir when hotan they eat esthiō bread artos.” 3 But de he ho answered apokrinomai them autos, saying legō, “ And kai why dia tis do you hymeis break parabainō the ho commandment entolē of ho God theos for dia the sake of · ho your hymeis tradition paradosis? 4 · ho For gar God theos said legō, ‘ Honor timaō your ho father patēr and kai your ho mother mētēr,’ and kai, ‘ Whoever ho speaks kakologeō evil of his father patēr or ē mother mētēr must be put teleutaō to death thanatos.’ 5 But de you hymeis say legō, ‘ Whoever hos an says legō to his ho father patēr or ē his ho mother mētēr, “ Whatever hos benefit you might have received ōpheleō from ek me egō is a gift dōron to God,” 6 he need not ou mē honor timaō · ho his autos father patēr.’ So kai you have nullified akyroō the ho word logos of ho God theos for dia the sake of · ho your hymeis tradition paradosis. 7 You hypocrites hypokritēs! Well kalōs did Isaiah ēsaias prophesy prophēteuō about peri you hymeis, when he said legō: 8 · ho ‘ This houtos people laos honors timaō me egō with their ho lips cheilos, · ho but de their autos hearts kardia are apechō far porrō from apo me egō. 9 And de in vain matēn do they worship sebō me egō, teaching didaskō as doctrines didaskalia the commandments entalma of men anthrōpos.’”

10 And kai he called proskaleō the ho crowd ochlos to him and said legō to them autos, “ Hear akouō and kai understand syniēmi: 11 It is not ou what ho goes eiserchomai into eis the ho mouth stoma that defiles koinoō a ho person anthrōpos, but alla what ho comes ekporeuomai out of ek the ho mouth stoma; this houtos defiles koinoō a ho person anthrōpos.”

12 Then tote the ho disciples mathētēs came proserchomai and said legō to him autos, “ Do you know oida that hoti the ho Pharisees Pharisaios were offended skandalizō when they heard akouō what ho you said logos?” 13 And de he ho answered apokrinomai, saying legō, “ Every pas plant phyteia that hos my egō heavenly ouranios Father patēr did not ou plant phyteuō · ho · ho will be rooted ekrizoō up . 14 Leave aphiēmi them autos be! They are eimi blind typhlos guides hodēgos. And de if ean a blind typhlos man guides hodēgeō a blind typhlos man , both amphoteroi will fall piptō into eis a pit bothunos.”

15 Then de Peter Petros answered apokrinomai · ho him autos, saying legō, “ Explain phrazō this houtos parable parabolē to us hēmeis.” · ho 16 And de he ho said legō, “ Are eimi you hymeis without understanding asynetos even kai now akmēn? 17 Do you not ou understand noeō that hoti everything pas that ho goes eisporeuomai into eis the ho mouth stoma passes chōreō through eis the ho stomach koilia and kai is expelled ekballō into eis the latrine aphedrōn? 18 But de the ho things that go ekporeuomai out of ek the ho mouth stoma come exerchomai from ek the ho heart kardia, and these kakeinos defile koinoō the ho person anthrōpos. 19 For gar out ek of the ho heart kardia come exerchomai evil ponēros thoughts dialogismos, murder phonos, adultery moicheia, sexual porneia immorality , theft klopē, false pseudomartyria witness , slander blasphēmia. 20 These houtos are eimi the ho things that defile koinoō a ho person anthrōpos, · ho but de to eat esthiō with unwashed aniptos hands cheir does not ou defile koinoō a ho person anthrōpos.”

21 And kai leaving exerchomai there ekeithen, · ho Jesus Iēsous withdrew anachōreō into eis the ho region meros of Tyre Tyros and kai Sidon Sidōn. 22 And kai a Canaanite Chananaios woman gynē from apo · ho that ekeinos region horion came exerchomai out and began to shout krazō, saying legō, “ Have mercy eleeō on me egō, O Lord kyrios, Son hyios of David Dauid; · ho my egō daughter thugatēr is horribly kakōs demon-possessed daimonizomai.” 23 But de he ho answered apokrinomai her autos not ou a word logos. And kai his autos disciples mathētēs came proserchomai · ho and urged erōtaō him autos, saying legō, “ Send apolyō her autos away, because hoti she keeps shouting krazō after opisthen us hēmeis.” 24 But de he ho answered apokrinomai, saying legō, “ I was not ou sent apostellō except ei mē to eis the ho lost apollymi sheep probaton · ho of the house oikos of Israel Israēl.” 25 Then de she ho came erchomai and knelt proskyneō before him autos, saying legō, “ Lord kyrios, help boētheō me egō!” 26 And de he ho answered apokrinomai, “ It is eimi not ou right kalos to take lambanō · ho bread artos from the ho children teknon and kai toss ballō it to the ho dogs kynarion.” 27 “ Yes nai, Lord kyrios,” she ho · de said legō, “ but gar even kai the ho dogs kynarion feed esthiō on apo the ho crumbs psichion that ho fall piptō from apo · ho their autos masters’ kyrios table trapeza.” · ho 28 Then tote Jesus Iēsous answered apokrinomai, · ho saying legō to her autos, “ O ō woman gynē, great megas is your sy · ho faith pistis! What hōs you desire thelō will be done ginomai for you sy.” And kai her autos daughter thugatēr was healed iaomai · ho from apo · ho that ekeinos hour hōra.

29 · kai After Jesus Iēsous left metabainō from there ekeithen, · ho he passed erchomai by para the ho Sea thalassa of ho Galilee Galilaia and kai went anabainō up on eis the ho mountain oros where ekei he sat kathēmai down . 30 And kai great polys crowds ochlos came proserchomai to him autos, bringing echō with meta them heautou those who were lame chōlos, blind typhlos, crippled kyllos, mute kōphos, and kai many polys others heteros; and kai they put rhiptō them autos down at para · ho his autos feet pous and kai he healed therapeuō them autos. 31 So hōste the ho crowd ochlos was astonished thaumazō when they saw blepō the mute kōphos speaking laleō, the crippled kyllos restored hygiēs, · kai the lame chōlos walking peripateō, and kai the blind typhlos seeing blepō, and kai they praised doxazō the ho God theos of Israel Israēl.

32 · ho Then de Jesus Iēsous called proskaleō · ho his autos disciples mathētēs to him and said legō, “ I have compassion splanchnizomai on epi the ho crowd ochlos because hoti they have prosmenō already ēdē been with prosmenō me egō three treis days hēmera and kai have echō nothing ou to eat esthiō; and kai I do thelō not ou want thelō to send apolyō them autos away hungry nēstis, lest mēpote they faint eklyō from exhaustion on en the ho way hodos.” 33 And kai the disciples mathētēs said legō to him autos, · ho “ Where pothen in en such a desolate place erēmia could we hēmeis find enough tosoutos bread artos to hōste feed chortazō so great tosoutos a crowd ochlos?” 34 And kai Jesus Iēsous said legō to them autos, · ho “ How posos many loaves artos do you have echō?” And de they ho said legō, “ Seven hepta, and kai a few oligos little ichthudion fish .” 35 And kai instructing parangellō the ho crowd ochlos to sit anapiptō down on epi the ho ground gē, 36 he took lambanō the ho seven hepta loaves artos and kai the ho fish ichthus: and kai when he had given thanks eucharisteō, he broke klaō them and kai began distributing didōmi them to the ho disciples mathētēs, and de the ho disciples mathētēs to the ho crowds ochlos. 37 And kai they all pas ate esthiō and kai were filled chortazō; and kai they picked up airō what ho was left perisseuō over of the ho broken klasma pieces , seven hepta large baskets spyris full plērēs. 38 Not counting chōris women gynē and kai children paidion, there ho · de were eimi four thousand tetrakischilioi men anēr who had eaten esthiō. 39 And kai when he had sent apolyō the ho crowds ochlos away , he got embainō into eis the ho boat ploion and kai went erchomai to eis the ho region horion of Magadan Magadan.

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