Thematic Bible

Matthew 15:1

Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,

Matthew 15:2

“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

Matthew 15:3

And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?

Matthew 15:4

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother is to be put to death.’

Matthew 15:5

But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,”

Matthew 15:6

he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Matthew 15:7

You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:

Matthew 15:8

This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.

Matthew 15:9

But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”

Matthew 15:10

After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand.

Matthew 15:11

It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

Matthew 15:12

Then the disciples *came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”

Matthew 15:13

But He answered and said, Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted.

Matthew 15:14

Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 15:15

Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.”

Matthew 15:16

Jesus said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also?

Matthew 15:17

Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?

Matthew 15:18

But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.

Matthew 15:19

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

Matthew 15:20

These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

Matthew 15:21

Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon.

Matthew 15:22

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.”

Matthew 15:23

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.”

Matthew 15:24

But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Matthew 15:25

But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

Matthew 15:26

And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

Matthew 15:27

But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Matthew 15:28

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.

Matthew 15:29

Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there.

Matthew 15:30

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.

Matthew 15:31

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.

Matthew 15:32

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.”

Matthew 15:33

The disciples *said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?”

Matthew 15:34

And Jesus *said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

Matthew 15:35

And He directed the people to sit down on the ground;

Matthew 15:36

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.

Matthew 15:37

And they all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.

Matthew 15:38

And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

Matthew 15:39

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