The Gospel According to Matthew, Chapter 15
{15:1} Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem,
saying, {15:2} "Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the
elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread."
{15:3} He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of
God because of your tradition? {15:4} For God commanded, 'Honor your
father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother,
let him be put to death.' {15:5} 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," {15:6} he shall not honor his
father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because
of your tradition. {15:7} You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of
you, saying,
{15:8} 'These people draw near to me with their mouth,
And honor me with their lips;
But their heart is far from me.
{15:9} And in vain do they worship me,
Teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"
{15:10} He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and
understand. {15:11} That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile
the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the
man."
{15:12} Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that
the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"
{15:13} But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father
didn't plant will be uprooted. {15:14} Leave them alone. They are
blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will
fall into a pit."
{15:15} Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us."
{15:16} So Jesus said, "Do you also still not understand? {15:17}
Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the
belly, and then out of the body? {15:18} But the things which proceed
out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
{15:19} For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
{15:20} These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with
unwashed hands doesn't defile the man."
{15:21} Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of
Tyre and Sidon. {15:22} Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those
borders, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David!
My daughter is severely demonized!"
{15:23} But he answered her not a word.
His disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she
cries after us."
{15:24} But he answered, "I wasn't sent to anyone but the lost sheep
of the house of Israel."
{15:25} But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."
{15:26} But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the
children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
{15:27} But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs
which fall from their masters' table."
{15:28} 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.
{15:29} Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee;
and he went up into the mountain, and sat there. {15:30} Great
multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute,
maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed
them, {15:31} so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute
speaking, injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing--and they
glorified the God of Israel.
{15:32} Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "I have compassion on
the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have
nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away fasting, or they might
faint on the way."
{15:33} The disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many
loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?"
{15:34} Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?"
They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."
{15:35} He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;
{15:36} 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
multitudes. {15:37} They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven
baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over. {15:38} Those
who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. {15:39}
Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the
borders of Magdala.
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