< Matthew 15 >

1 Then the Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,
Then some Pharisees and teachers of the Law came to Jesus, and said,
2 "Why do your disciples disobey the Tradition of the Elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."
‘How is it that your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? For they do not wash their hands when they eat food.’
3 And he answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
His reply was, ‘How is it that you on your side break God’s commandments out of respect for your own traditions?
4 For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'
For God said – “Honour your father and mother,” and “Anyone who abuses his father or mother shall suffer death,”
5 But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,"
but you say “Whenever anyone says to his father or mother ‘Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is set apart for God,’
6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' You have made the word of God void because of your tradition.
he is in no way bound to honour his father.” In this way you have nullified the words of God for the sake of your traditions.
7 You hypocrites. Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
Hypocrites! It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you –
8 'These people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
“This is a people that honour me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me;
9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching instructions that are the commandments of humans.'"
but vainly do they worship me, For they teach but human precepts.”’
10 He summoned the crowd, and said to them, "Hear, and understand.
Then Jesus called the people to him, and said, ‘Listen, and mark my words.
11 That which enters into the mouth does not defile the person; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the person."
It is not what enters a person’s mouth that defiles them, but what comes out from their mouth – that does defile them!’
12 Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"
His disciples came up to him, and said, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked on hearing what you said?’
13 But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.
‘Every plant,’ Jesus replied, ‘that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.
14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Leave them be; they are but blind guides; and, if one blind person guides another, both of them will fall into a ditch.’
15 And answering, Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us."
Peter spoke up, ‘Explain this saying to us.’
16 So he said, "Do you also still not understand?
‘What, do even you understand nothing yet?’ Jesus exclaimed.
17 Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body?
‘Don’t you see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is afterwards expelled?
18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the person.
But the things that come out of the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile a person;
19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts – murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, perjury, slander.
20 These are the things which defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person."
These are the things that defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.’
21 Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.
On going away from that place, Jesus went to the country round Tyre and Sidon.
22 And look, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and started shouting, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is severely demonized."
There, a Canaanite woman of that district came out and began calling to Jesus, ‘Take pity on me, Master, Son of David; my daughter is grievously possessed by a demon.’
23 But he did not answer her a word. His disciples came and pleaded with him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting at us."
But Jesus did not answer her a word; and his disciples came up and begged him to send her away. ‘She keeps calling out after us,’ they said.
24 But he answered, "I was not sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
‘I was not sent,’ replied Jesus, ‘to anyone except the lost sheep of Israel.’
25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."
But the woman came, and, bowing to the ground before him, said, ‘Master, help me.’
26 But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
‘It is not fair,’ replied Jesus, ‘to take the children’s food and throw it to dogs.’
27 But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
‘Yes, Master,’ she said, ‘for even dogs do feed on the scraps that fall from their owners’ table.’
28 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith. Be it done to you even as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that hour.
‘Your faith is great,’ was his reply to the woman, ‘it will be as you wish!’ And her daughter was cured that very hour.
29 Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.
On leaving that place, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; and then went up the hill, and sat down.
30 Large crowds came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, crippled, and many others, and they put them down at his feet; and he healed them.
Great crowds of people came to him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, or dumb, and many others. They put them down at his feet, and he cured them;
31 So the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, crippled healthy, lame walking, and blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.
and the crowds were astonished, when they saw the dumb talking, the cripples made sound, the lame walking about, and the blind with their sight restored; and they praised the God of Israel.
32 Jesus summoned the disciples and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way."
Afterwards Jesus called his disciples to him, and said, ‘My heart is moved at the sight of all these people, for they have already been with me three days and they have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry; they might faint on the way home.’
33 Then the disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a crowd?"
‘Where can we,’ his disciples asked, ‘in a lonely place find enough bread for such a crowd as this?’
34 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."
‘How many loaves have you?’ said Jesus. ‘Seven,’ they answered, ‘and a few small fish.’
35 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground;
Telling the crowd to sit down on the ground,
36 and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds.
Jesus took the seven loaves and the fish, and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke them, and gave them to the disciples; and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
37 They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.
Everyone had sufficient to eat, and they picked up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left.
38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
The men who ate were four thousand in number without counting women and children.
39 Then he sent away the crowds, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magadan.
Then, after dismissing the crowds, Jesus got into the boat, and went to the region of Magadan.

< Matthew 15 >