The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

(Mark 7:1–13)

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,

“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’(a) and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’(b)

But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’

he need not honor his father or mother with it.(c) Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:

‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’(d)”

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14–23)

Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and understand.

A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.

Disregard them! They are blind guides.(e) If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

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

“Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked.

“Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24–30)

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.

And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”

But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

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

The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs

(f)

eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

“O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Mark 8:1–10)

Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up on a mountain and sat down.

Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them.

The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”

The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

A total of four thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children.

After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

Footnotes

(a)15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

(b)15:4 Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9

(c)15:6 NE and TR (see also Mark 7:12); literally he need not honor his father or mother; SBL, NA, WH, and BYZ do not include or mother.

(d)15:9 Isaiah 29:13 (see also LXX)

(e)15:14 Or blind guides of the blind

(f)15:27 Or puppies

(Mark 7:1–13)

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

“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”

He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ (a) and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ (b)

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,”

he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’” (c)

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14–23)

He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand.

That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

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

But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.

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

Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”

So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand?

Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body?

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

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

These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24–30)

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

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 possessed by a demon!”

But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”

But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

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

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.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Mark 8:1–10)

Jesus departed from there and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up on the mountain and sat there.

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,

so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the injured healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued 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.”

The disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?”

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

He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;

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.

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

Those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children.

Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.

Footnotes

(a)15:4 ℘ Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

(b)15:4 ℘ Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9