Matthew 15
Worldwide English (New Testament)
15 Then some Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus.
2 They asked him, `Why do your disciples break the law our fathers made? They do not wash their hands before they eat.'
3 Jesus asked them, `Why do you break God's law so that you can keep your own law?
4 God said, "Respect your father and your mother." And God said, "Anyone who says wrong things to his father or his mother will surely die."
5 `But you say, "Tell your father or your mother that you have given to God what you were going to give to them." You say, "If anyone says that, then he does not need to help his father or mother."
6 You make God's law to mean nothing so you can keep your own laws!
7 You are not true to yourselves! What Isaiah said about you was true. He said,
8 "These people respect me with their mouth but their heart is far from me.
9 They do not mean it in their hearts when they worship me. Their teachings are only the words of men." '
10 Jesus called the people to him. He said to them, `Listen to me and understand what I say.
11 What goes into a person's mouth does not make him dirty. But what comes out of a person's mouth makes him dirty.'
12 Then the disciples came to Jesus. They said, `The Pharisees were angry when they heard what you said. Did you know that?'
13 Jesus answered, `Every plant that my Father in heaven did not plant will be pulled out by the roots.
14 Leave them alone. They are blind men who are trying to lead blind men. If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a hole.'
15 Peter said to Jesus, `Tell us the meaning of that story.'
16 Jesus said, `Do you still not understand?
17 Do you not know this? What goes into the mouth goes into the stomach, and then it goes out of the body.
18 But what comes out of the mouth, comes from the heart. This is what makes a person dirty.
19 Here is what comes from the heart: wrong thoughts, killing people, all kinds of adultery, stealing, lying, and saying wrong things about people.
20 These things make a person dirty. To eat with hands that are not washed does not make him dirty.'
21 Jesus left that place and went to the country of Tyre and Sidon. 22A woman of the people of Canaan was in that country. She called out, `Sir, you are the Son of David. Help me! My daughter is being troubled very much by a bad spirit.'
22 Jesus did not answer her. His disciples came to him and said, `Send her away. She keeps calling after us.'
23 He said, `I was sent only to the people of Israel. They are like lost sheep.'
24 But the woman came and bowed down in front of Jesus and worshipped him. She said, `Sir, help me.'
25 He said, `It is not right to take the children's food and give it to the little dogs.'
26 She answered, `Yes, sir. But even the little dogs eat the food that falls from the tables of their masters.'
27 Then Jesus answered, `Woman, you believe very much. The thing you want me to do will be done.' And her daughter was healed at that very time.
28 Jesus went on from there along the Sea of Galilee. He went up on a hill and sat down there.
29 Many people came to him. They brought sick people with them. Some were lame. Some were hurt. Some were blind. Some could not talk. And there were many others. They laid them down in front of Jesus. And he healed them.
30 The people were surprised. They saw that people who had not been able to talk were talking. They saw that people who were hurt were made well. They saw that lame people were walking. They saw that blind people could see. And they praised the God of Israel.
31 Jesus called his disciples to him. He said, `I share the suffering of the people. They have been with me for three days and they have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry. If they go away hungry, they will get weak and fall on the way.'
32 The disciples said to him, `Where can we get enough food in this lonely place to feed so many people?'
33 Jesus said to them, `How many loaves of bread have you?' They said, `We have seven, and a few small fish.'
34 He told the people to sit down on the ground.
35 Then he took the seven loaves of bread and the fish. He thanked God for them. Then he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples. The disciples gave it to the people.
36 They all ate and had enough. They gathered seven baskets full of pieces that were left.
37 The number of people who ate was about four thousand men, besides some women and children.
38 Jesus sent the people away. Then he got in the boat and went to the country around Magadan.
Matthew 15
New American Standard Bible
Tradition and Commandment
15 (A)Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus (B)from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they (C)do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘(D)Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘(E)The one who speaks evil of father or mother is to [a]be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been [b]given to God,” 6 he is not to [c]honor his father or mother.’ And by this you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you, by saying:
8 ‘(F)This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
9 And in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as (G)doctrines the commandments of men.’”
10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand! 11 (H)It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person.”
12 Then the disciples came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were [d]offended when they heard this statement?” 13 But He answered and said, “(I)Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone; (J)they are blind guides [e]of blind people. And (K)if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”
The Heart of Mankind
15 Peter [f]said to Him, “(L)Explain the parable to us.” 16 [g]Jesus said, “Are you also still lacking in understanding? 17 Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is [h]eliminated? 18 But (M)the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. 19 (N)For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and [i]slanderous statements. 20 These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.”
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
21 (O)Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the region of (P)Tyre and (Q)Sidon. 22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, (R)Son of David; my daughter is severely (S)demon-possessed.” 23 But He did not answer her with even a word. And His disciples came up and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting [j]at us!” 24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to (T)the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and (U)began [k]to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 Yet He answered and said, “It is not [l]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord; but please help, for even the dogs feed on the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, (V)your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed [m]at once.
Healing Crowds
29 (W)Departing from there, Jesus went along (X)the Sea of Galilee, and after going up on the mountain, He was sitting there. 30 And [n]large crowds came to Him bringing with them those who were limping, had impaired limbs, were blind, or were unable to speak, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and (Y)He healed them. 31 So the crowd was astonished as they saw those who were unable to speak talking, those with impaired limbs [o]restored, those who were limping walking around, and those who were blind seeing; and they (Z)glorified the God of Israel.
Four Thousand Men Fed
32 (AA)Now Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “(AB)I feel compassion for the [p]people, because they [q]have remained with Me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” 33 The disciples *said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?” 34 And Jesus *said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 And He directed the [r]people to [s]sit down on the ground; 36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and after (AC)giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large (AD)baskets full. 38 And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
39 And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into (AE)the boat and came to the region of (AF)Magadan.
Footnotes
- Matthew 15:4 Lit die the death
- Matthew 15:5 Lit a gift; i.e., an offering
- Matthew 15:6 I.e., by supporting them with it
- Matthew 15:12 Lit caused to stumble
- Matthew 15:14 Later mss add of blind people
- Matthew 15:15 Lit answering, said
- Matthew 15:16 Lit and He
- Matthew 15:17 Lit thrown out into the latrine
- Matthew 15:19 Or abusive speech
- Matthew 15:23 Lit behind us
- Matthew 15:25 Or worshiped
- Matthew 15:26 Or proper
- Matthew 15:28 Lit from that hour
- Matthew 15:30 Lit many
- Matthew 15:31 Or healthy
- Matthew 15:32 Lit crowd
- Matthew 15:32 Lit are remaining
- Matthew 15:35 Lit crowd
- Matthew 15:35 Lit recline
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