New Heart English Bible

Matthew 15

1 Then the Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,

2 "Why do your disciples disobey the Tradition of the Elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."

3 And he answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

4 For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'

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,"

6 he is not to honor his father or his mother.' You have made the word of God void because of your tradition.

7 You hypocrites. Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

8 'These people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching instructions that are the commandments of humans.'"

10 He summoned the crowd, and said to them, "Hear, and understand.

11 That which enters into the mouth does not defile the person; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the person."

12 Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"

13 But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.

14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."

15 And answering, Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us."

16 So he said, "Do you also still not understand?

17 Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body?

18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the person.

19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.

20 These are the things which defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person."

21 Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And look, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and started shouting, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is severely demonized."

23 But he did not answer her a word. His disciples came and pleaded with him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting at us."

24 But he answered, "I was not sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."

26 But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

27 But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

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.

29 Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.

30 Large crowds came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, crippled, and many others, and they put them down at his feet; and he healed them.

31 So the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, crippled healthy, lame walking, and blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.

32 Jesus summoned the disciples and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way."

33 Then the disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a crowd?"

34 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."

35 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground;

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 crowds.

37 They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

39 Then he sent away the crowds, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magadan.