Matthew 15

1 Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked,ISV — Matthew 15:1

2 “Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands when they eat.” ^{a15:2 Lit. eat bread}ISV — Matthew 15:2

3 But he answered them, “Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition?ISV — Matthew 15:3

4 Because God said, ^{b15:4 Other mss. read commanded, saying} ‘You are to honor your father and your mother,’ ^{c15:4 Cf. Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16} and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.’ ^{d15:4 Cf. Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9}ISV — Matthew 15:4

5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or his mother, “Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God,” ^{e15:5 Lit. is a gift}ISV — Matthew 15:5

6 does not have to honor his father.’ ^{f15:6 Other mss. read his father or his mother} Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded ^{g15:6 Or invalidated} the authority of God’s word. ^{h15:6 Other mss. read law; still other mss. read commandment}ISV — Matthew 15:6

7 You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,ISV — Matthew 15:7

8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.ISV — Matthew 15:8

9 Their worship of me is empty, because they teach human rules as doctrines.’” ^{i15:9 Cf. Isa 29:13}ISV — Matthew 15:9

10 Then calling out to the crowd, he addressed them, “Listen and understand!ISV — Matthew 15:10

11 It is not what goes into the mouth that makes a person unclean. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean.”ISV — Matthew 15:11

12 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Do you realize that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”ISV — Matthew 15:12

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots.ISV — Matthew 15:13

14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. ^{j15:14 Other mss. lack of the blind} If one blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into a ditch.”ISV — Matthew 15:14

15 Then Peter told him, “Explain to us this ^{k15:15 Other mss. read the} parable.”ISV — Matthew 15:15

16 Jesus ^{l15:16 Lit. He} said, “Are you still so ignorant?ISV — Matthew 15:16

17 Don’t you know that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and then is expelled as waste?ISV — Matthew 15:17

18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is those things that make a person unclean.ISV — Matthew 15:18

19 It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, false testimony, and slander. ^{m15:19 Or blasphemy}ISV — Matthew 15:19

20 These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating with unwashed hands doesn’t make a person unclean.” ( )ISV — Matthew 15:20

21 Then Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon.ISV — Matthew 15:21

22 Suddenly, a Canaanite woman from that territory came near and began to shout, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed!”ISV — Matthew 15:22

23 But he didn’t answer her at all. ^{n15:23 Lit. a word} Then his disciples came up and kept urging him, “Send her away, because she keeps on screaming as she follows ^{o15:23 Lit. screaming behind} us.”ISV — Matthew 15:23

24 But he replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation ^{p15:24 Lit. house} of Israel.”ISV — Matthew 15:24

25 Then she came and fell down before him, saying, “Lord, help me!”ISV — Matthew 15:25

26 He replied, “It’s not right ^{q15:26 Other mss. read lawful} to take the children’s bread and throw it to the puppies.”ISV — Matthew 15:26

27 She said, “Yes, Lord. But even the puppies eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ tables.”ISV — Matthew 15:27

28 Then Jesus answered her, “Lady, ^{r15:28 Lit. Woman} your faith is great! What you want is granted.” That very hour her daughter was healed.ISV — Matthew 15:28

29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a hillside and sat down.ISV — Matthew 15:29

30 Large crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, those unable to talk, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he healed them.ISV — Matthew 15:30

31 As a result, the crowd was amazed to see those who were unable to talk speaking, the crippled healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. So they praised the God of Israel. ( )ISV — Matthew 15:31

32 Then Jesus called his disciples and said, “I have compassion for the crowd because they have already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away without food, or they may faint on the road.”ISV — Matthew 15:32

33 The disciples asked him, “Where in the wilderness are we to get enough bread to feed such a crowd?”ISV — Matthew 15:33

34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”ISV — Matthew 15:34

35 Ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground,ISV — Matthew 15:35

36 he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks. Then he broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them ^{s15:36 The Gk. lacks gave them} to the crowds.ISV — Matthew 15:36

37 All of them ate until they were filled, then the disciples ^{t15:37 Lit. they} picked up what was left of the broken pieces—seven baskets full.ISV — Matthew 15:37

38 Now those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.ISV — Matthew 15:38

39 After he sent the crowds away, he got into a boat and went to the region of Magadan. ^{u15:39 Other mss. read Magdala}ISV — Matthew 15:39