Matthew 15 - Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Tradition of the Elders

15 Then(A) Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked,(B) 2 “Why do Your disciples(C) break the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat!”[a](D)

3 He answered them, “And why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition? 4 For God said:[b]

Honor your father and your mother;(E)[c] and,
The one who speaks evil of father or mother
must be put to death.(F)[d]

5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple”— 6 he does not have to honor his father.’[e] In this way, you have revoked God’s word[f] because of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said:

8 These people[g] honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.
9 They worship Me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commands of men.(G)[h]

Defilement Is from Within

10 Summoning the crowd, He told them, “Listen and understand: 11 It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles(H) a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”(I)

12 Then the disciples came up and told Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard this statement?”

13 He replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.(J) 14 Leave them alone! They are blind guides.[i] And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”(K)

15 Then Peter replied to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”(L)

16 “Are even you still lacking in understanding?” He[j] asked. 17 “Don’t you realize[k] that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated?[l] 18 But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a man.(M) 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies,(N) blasphemies.(O) 20 These are the things that defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”(P)

A Gentile Mother’s Faith

21 When Jesus left there,(Q) He withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon.(R) 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out,[m] “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon.”(S)

23 Yet He did not say a word to her. So His disciples(T) approached Him and urged Him, “Send her away because she cries out after us.”[n]

24 He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”(U)

25 But she came, knelt before Him, and said, “Lord, help me!”

26 He answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to their dogs.”(V)

27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table!”

28 Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment[o] her daughter was cured.(W)

Healing Many People

29 Moving on from there,(X) Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee.(Y) He went up on a mountain and sat there, 30 and large crowds came to Him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, those unable to speak, and many others. They put them at His feet, and He healed them. 31 So the crowd was amazed when they saw those unable to speak talking, the deformed restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing.(Z) And they gave glory to the God of Israel.

Feeding 4,000

32 Now Jesus summoned His disciples and said,(AA) “I have compassion on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry; otherwise they might collapse on the way.”

33 The disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in this desolate place(AB) to fill such a crowd?”

34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked them.

“Seven,” they said, “and a few small fish.”

35 After commanding the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 He took the seven loaves and the fish, and He gave thanks, broke them, and kept on giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.(AC) 37 They all ate and were filled. Then they collected the leftover pieces—seven large baskets full. 38 Now those who ate were 4,000 men, besides women and children. 39 After dismissing the crowds, He got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.[p](AD)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:2 Lit eat bread = eat a meal
  2. Matthew 15:4 Other mss read commanded, saying
  3. Matthew 15:4 Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16
  4. Matthew 15:4 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9
  5. Matthew 15:6 Other mss read then he does not have to honor his father or mother
  6. Matthew 15:6 Other mss read commandment
  7. Matthew 15:8 Other mss add draw near to Me with their mouths, and
  8. Matthew 15:9 Is 29:13 LXX
  9. Matthew 15:14 Other mss add for the blind
  10. Matthew 15:16 Other mss read Jesus
  11. Matthew 15:17 Other mss add yet
  12. Matthew 15:17 Lit and goes out into the toilet
  13. Matthew 15:22 Other mss read and cried out to Him
  14. Matthew 15:23 Lit she is yelling behind us or after us
  15. Matthew 15:28 Lit hour
  16. Matthew 15:39 Other mss read Magdala

Cross references

  1. 15:1-20 : Mk 7:1-23
  2. 15:1 : Mk 3:22; Jn 1:19
  3. 15:2 : Mt 10:1; 26:56; Mk 3:7; 16:20; Lk 6:13; Jn 12:16
  4. 15:2 : Lk 11:38; Gl 1:14; Col 2:8; Heb 11:2
  5. 15:4 : Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16; Eph 6:2
  6. 15:4 : Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9
  7. 15:8-9 : Is 29:13; Ezk 33:31; Col 2:22; Ti 1:14
  8. 15:11 : Mt 15:18; Mk 7:15; Ac 21:28; Heb 9:13
  9. 15:11 : Ac 10:14-15; 1Tm 4:3
  10. 15:13 : Is 60:21; 61:3; Jn 15:2; 1Co 3:9
  11. 15:14 : Mal 2:8; Mt 23:16, 24; Lk 6:39
  12. 15:15 : Mt 13:36; Mk 7:17
  13. 15:18 : Mt 12:34; Jms 3:6
  14. 15:19 : Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; 1Tm 6:4
  15. 15:19 : Ex 20:13-16; Gl 5:19-21; Jms 2:4
  16. 15:20 : Mt 11:18; Mk 7:2, 5; 1Co 6:9-10
  17. 15:21-28 : Mk 7:24-30
  18. 15:21 : Mt 11:21; Mk 7:24
  19. 15:22 : Gn 10:15, 19; Jdg 1:30-33; Mt 4:24; 9:27
  20. 15:23 : Mt 10:1; 26:56; Mk 3:7; 16:20; Lk 6:13; Jn 12:16
  21. 15:24 : Mt 10:6, 23; Jn 4:22; Rm 15:8
  22. 15:26 : Ex 22:31; 2Kg 9:10; Mt 8:2; Php 3:2
  23. 15:28 : Mt 9:22; 17:18; Jn 4:52-53
  24. 15:29-31 : Mk 7:31-37
  25. 15:29 : Mt 9:8; 18:8; Mk 9:43
  26. 15:31 : Is 29:23; Lk 1:68; Ac 13:17
  27. 15:32-39 : Mt 14:14-21; Mk 8:1-10
  28. 15:33 : Mk 8:4; 2Co 11:26; Heb 11:38
  29. 15:36 : Mt 26:27; Lk 22:17; Jn 6:11, 23; Ac 27:35; Rm 14:6; 1Co 10:30
  30. 15:39 : Mk 3:9; 8:10

You Might Also Like:

Matthew 15 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

15 Then come unto Jesus do they from Jerusalem -- scribes and Pharisees -- saying, 2 `Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they may eat bread.' 3 And he answering said to them, `Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God bec...
Read More

Matthew 15 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

15 Then the scribes and the Pharisees came to him from Jerusalem, and said, [Then scribes and Pharisees came nigh to him from Jerusalem, saying,] 2 Why break thy disciples the traditions of elder men [Why thy disciples break the traditions, either the teachings, of elder men]? for they wash not the...
Read More

Matthew 15 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

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...
Read More

Matthew 15 - World English Bible (WEB)

15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded...
Read More

Matthew 15 - The Voice (VOICE)

15 Some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to ask Jesus a question. Scribes and Pharisees: 2 The law of Moses has always held that one must ritually wash his hands before eating. Why don’t Your disciples observe this tradition? 3 Jesus turned the Pharisees’ question back on them.Jesus: Why do...
Read More

Matthew 15 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Religious Leaders Quiz Yeshua15 Then some Pharisees and Torah scholars came to Yeshua from Jerusalem. They said, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not do the ritual handwashing when they eat bread.” 3 And answering, He said to them, “Why do you also transg...
Read More

Matthew 15 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Tradition of the Elders15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of yo...
Read More

Matthew 15 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Tradition of the Elders15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of yo...
Read More

Matthew 15 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

15 Then the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 But He answered and said to them, “And why do you transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4 “...
Read More

Matthew 15 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Discussions of Clean and Unclean15 At that time some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus. They had a question for him. 2 ‘Why’, they said, ‘do your disciples go against the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands when they eat their food!’ 3 ‘Why’, Jesus replied, ‘do you ...
Read More

Matthew 15 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Tradition of the Elders15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.’ 3 He answered them, ‘And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradi...
Read More

Matthew 15 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Tradition of the Elders15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.”(A)3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradi...
Read More

Matthew 15 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Christ defends his disciples, and rebukes the scribes and Pharisees for transgressing God’s commandments through their own precepts. What goes into the mouth does not defile a man. He delivers the Canaanite woman’s daughter, heals the multitude, and with seven loaves and a few little fishes feeds 4,...
Read More

Matthew 15 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity15 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you...
Read More

Matthew 15 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jesus Speaks Sharp Words to the Leaders (A)15 Some of the teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers from Jerusalem came to Jesus. They asked, 2 “Why do Your followers not obey the teaching that was given to them by our fathers? They do not wash their hands before they eat.” 3 Jesus s...
Read More

Matthew 15 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Defilement Comes from Within(A)15 Then (B)the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 (C)“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress t...
Read More