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Matthew 15

Tradition and Commandment

1 Then some 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 when they eat bread."3 And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?4 For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.'5 But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,"6 he is not to honor his father or his mothert.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:

8 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

9 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'"

10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, "Hear and understand.11 It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

12 Then the disciples *came and *said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?"13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.14 Let them alone; they are blind guides tof the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

The Heart of Man

15 Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."16 Jesus said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also?17 Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?18 But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.20 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."

The Syrophoenician Woman

21 Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon.22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed."23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us."24 But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"26 And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."27 But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."28 Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.

Healing Crowds

29 Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there.30 And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them.31 So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Four Thousand Fed

32 And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, "I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now 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 people to sit down on the ground;36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.37 And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.38 And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

39 And sending away the crowds, Jesus got into the boat and came to the region of Magadan.

Matthew 15

1 Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying,2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.3 And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?4 For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death.5 But ye say, whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given to God;6 he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition.7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.

10 And he called to him the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:11 Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man.12 Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?13 But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.14 Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.15 And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.16 And he said, Are ye also even yet without understanding?17 Perceive ye not, that whatsoever goeth into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:20 these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not the man.

21 And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon.22 And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.24 But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.25 But she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.26 And he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.27 But she said, Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.

29 And Jesus departed thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.30 And there came unto him great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and they cast them down at this feet; and he healed them:31 insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, and lame walking, and the blind seeing: and they glorified the God of Israel.

32 And Jesus called unto him his disciples, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat: and I would not send them away fasting, lest haply they faint on the way.33 And the disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so many loaves in a desert place as to fill so great a multitude?34 And Jesus said unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few small fishes.35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;36 and he took the seven loaves and the fishes; and he gave thanks and brake, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.37 And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full.38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, besides women and children.39 And he sent away the multitudes, and entered into the boat, and came into the borders of Magadan.