The Tradition of the Elders
(Matthew 15:1–9)
1 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes having come from Jerusalem are gathered together to Him. 2 And they had seen some of His disciples, that with defiled hands—that is, unwashed—they are eating the loaves.†
3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash the hands to the fist,† holding to the tradition of the elders; 4 and coming from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they immerse; and there are many other things that they received to hold to—immersions of cups and pitchers and bronze vessels and couches.† )
5 And the Pharisees and the scribes questioned Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat the bread with defiled† hands?”
6 And He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you⁺ hypocrites, as it has been written: ‘This people honors Me with the lips, but their heart is kept far away from Me;
7 and in vain they worship Me, teaching as teachings the precepts of men.’†
8 Having left the commandment of God, you⁺ hold to the tradition of men.† ”
9 And He was saying to them, “Nobly do you⁺ set aside the commandment of God so that you⁺ might keep† your⁺ tradition.
10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’† and, ‘The one speaking evil of father or mother, in death let him end.’†
11 But you⁺ say that if a man might say to the father or to the mother, ‘Whatever you might be profited from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift),
12 no longer do you⁺ permit him to do anything for the father or for the mother,
13 making void the word of God for your⁺ tradition, which you⁺ delivered. And you⁺ do many things as such.”
What Defiles a Man 14 And having summoned the crowd† again, He was saying to them, “Hear Me, all, and understand:
15 There is nothing from outside the man entering into him that is able to defile him; but the things proceeding out of the man are the things defiling the man.Ӡ
17 And when He entered into the house from the crowd, His disciples were questioning Him about the parable.
18 And He says to them, “Thus are you⁺ also without understanding? Do you⁺ not understand that everything entering into the man from outside is not able to defile him,
19 because it does not enter into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the sewer?”—thus purifying all the foods.†
20 And He was saying, “That which is proceeding out of the man, that defiles the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil reasonings, sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries,†
22 covetous desires, wickednesses, deceit, sensuality, an evil eye, slander, pride, foolishness.
23 All these evils proceed from within, and they defile the man.”
The Faith of the Gentile Woman 24 And from there having risen up, He went away into the borders of Tyre.† And having entered into a house, He was wanting no one to know it, and He was not able to be hidden.
25 But immediately, having heard† about Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having come, fell at His feet.
26 Now the woman was a Greek, Syrophoenician by race, and she was asking Him that He might cast the demon out of her daughter.
27 And He was saying† to her, “Permit the children first to be satisfied; for it is not good to take the bread of the children and to cast it to the dogs.† ”
28 But she answered, and she says to Him, “Yes, Lord, even† the dogs under the table eat from the crumbs of the children.”
29 And He said to her, “Because of this word, go; the demon has gone forth out of your daughter.”
30 And having gone away to her house, she found the child laid on the bed, and the demon having gone out.†
The Deaf and Mute Man 31 And again, having gone out from the borders of Tyre, He went through Sidon† to the Sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of the Decapolis.†
32 And they bring to Him a deaf man (and he spoke with difficulty), and they implore Him that He might lay the hand on him.
33 And having taken him away from the crowd by himself, He put His fingers into his ears. And having spit, He touched his tongue.
34 And having looked up to heaven, He sighed deeply, and He says to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”)
35 And his ears were opened, and immediately† the band of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking rightly.
36 And He instructed them that they should tell no one. But as much as He was instructing them, they were proclaiming it more abundantly.
37 And they were astonished above measure, saying, “He has done all things well! He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak!”
(Matthew 15:10–20)
(Matthew 15:21–28)
(Matthew 9:27–34)
Footnotes:
2 BYZ and TR include (and) they found fault.
3 Or until they wash their hands ceremonially
4 NE and WH cups and vessels and bronze vessels.
5 BYZ and TR unwashed
7 Isaiah 29:13 (see also LXX)
8 BYZ and TR include —immersions of pitchers and cups; and you do many other things as such.
9 NA establish
10 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16
10 Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9
14 BYZ and TR all the crowd
15 BYZ and TR include 16If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
19 Or and then is eliminated, thereby expelling all foods.”
21 Some texts list these in a different order; some move adulteries to verse 22.
24 WH, BYZ, and TR include and Sidon; see Matthew 15:21.
25 BYZ and TR For having heard
27 BYZ and TR Jesus was saying
27 Or puppies; also verse 28
28 BYZ and TR for even
30 BYZ and TR she found the demon was gone, and her daughter was lying on the bed.
31 BYZ and TR of Tyre and Sidon, He went
31 That is, the Ten Cities
35 ECM, WH, TH, and SBL do not include immediately.