Matthew 15 — EMTV

The Tradition of the Elders

15Verse 1Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem approached Jesus, saying,^{Verse 2}“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands whenever they eat bread.”^{Verse 3}He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God on account of your tradition?^{Verse 4}For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, with death let him die.’^{Verse 5}But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “It is a gift to God, whatever profit you might have received from me”—^{Verse 6}then by no means should he honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have invalidated the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition.^{Verse 7}Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying,^{Verse 8}‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
and they honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far away from Me.
^{Verse 9}And in vain they worship Me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”^{Verse 10}And having summoned the crowd, He said to them, “Hear and understand:^{Verse 11}It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”^{Verse 12}Then His disciples approached and said to Him, “You know that when the Pharisees heard this message they were offended?”^{Verse 13}But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.^{Verse 14}Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. And if the blind guides the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”^{Verse 15}Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain to us this parable.”^{Verse 16}So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding?^{Verse 17}Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach, and is cast out into a latrine?^{Verse 18}But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.^{Verse 19}For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.^{Verse 20}These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

The Canaanite Woman's Faith

^{Verse 21}And going out from there, Jesus withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.^{Verse 22}And behold, a Canaanite woman coming forth from that region cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”^{Verse 23}But He answered her not a word. And His disciples approached and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”^{Verse 24}But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”^{Verse 25}Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”^{Verse 26}But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children's bread and to throw it to the little dogs.”^{Verse 27}But she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat from the crumbs falling from their masters' table.”^{Verse 28}Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Jesus Heals Many People

^{Verse 29}And moving on from there, Jesus came alongside the Sea of Galilee, and going up into a mountain, He sat down there.^{Verse 30}And great crowds came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they put them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them.^{Verse 31}So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

^{Verse 32}Now Jesus, having summoned His disciples, He said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been remaining with Me three days, and they do not have anything to eat. And I do not desire to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”^{Verse 33}Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get so many loaves of bread in this deserted place, so as to satisfy so great a crowd?”^{Verse 34}Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”^{Verse 35}So He commanded the crowds to recline on the ground.^{Verse 36}And He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks, He broke them, and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the crowd.^{Verse 37}So they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what they had left of the fragments, seven hampers full.^{Verse 38}Now those who ate were four thousand men, apart from women and children.^{Verse 39}And having dismissed the crowds, He went up into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.