Matthew 15

The Traditions of the Elders

Then the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus and said, 2 “Why do yoʋr disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, ‘Honor yoʋr father and yoʋr mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of his father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “Whatever benefit yoʋ might have received from me is a gift to God,” then he certainly need not honor his father or his mother.’ 6 You have nullified the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said,

8 ‘This people draws near to me with their mouth

and honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me.

9 They worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 Then Jesus called the crowd over and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11 It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” 12 Then his disciples came and said to him, “Do yoʋ know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” 13 Jesus answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Leave them be; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.”

15 Then Peter said to him in response, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled into the latrine? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these defile a person. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false testimony, and slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

A Canaanite Woman's Faith

21 Then Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came and cried out to him, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23 But he did not respond to her at all. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 In response Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and bowed down before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He replied, “It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is yoʋr faith; it will be done for yoʋ as yoʋ wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Jesus Heals Many

29 Departing from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on the mountain and sat down. 30 Large crowds came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, crippled, and many others. They put them at the feet of Jesus, and he healed them. 31 So the crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

32 Then Jesus called his disciples over and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have stayed with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away without having eaten, lest they faint on the way.” 33 His disciples said to him, “Where can we get so many loaves in such a desolate place to fill such a large crowd?” 34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” 35 So he commanded the crowds to sit down on the ground, 36 and taking the seven loaves and the fish, he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowd. 37 They all ate and were filled, and the disciples picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full. 38 Besides women and children, there were four thousand men who had eaten. 39 After sending the crowds away, Jesus got into the boat and went to the region of Magdala.