Matthew 15

1 Then [at that specific point in time] some Pharisees [members of a strict Jewish sect] and scribes [scholars of the law] came [approached, drew near] to Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] from [away from, out of] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine] and asked [said, spoke to him], word study 2 “Why do Your disciples [followers, learners] break [transgress, disobey] the tradition [custom, teaching] of the elders [respected leaders, forefathers]? They do not wash [cleanse, purify] their hands [as a ritual, for ceremonial purity] before they eat [consume food, take a meal].” word study 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you [also, yourselves] break [transgress, go against] the command [commandment, divine instruction] of God [the one true deity] for the sake [because of, on account of] of your [own, traditional] tradition [teachings passed down, inherited practices]? word study 4 For God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] said, ‘Honor [to show respect and value] your father [male parent, paternal figure] and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses [speaks evil of, reviles] his father or mother [parental figures, authorities] must be put to death [executed, suffer the penalty of death].’ word study 5 But you [as a group, collectively] say that if anyone [a person, an individual] says to his father [a male parent, paternal figure] or mother [a female parent, maternal figure], ‘Whatever [everything, all that] you would have received [gotten, obtained] from me is a gift [offering, sacrifice] devoted [dedicated, set apart] to God [the Supreme Being, Almighty],’ word study 6 he need not honor [show respect, give reverence to] his father or mother with it [the Corban, a vow or offering]. Thus you nullify [make void, invalidate] the word [command, divine instruction] of God [the one true deity] for the sake [because of, on account of] of your tradition [teachings, customs passed down]. word study 7 You [false ones, pretending to be righteous] hypocrites [insincere, pretending to be something they are not]! Isaiah [a prophet of God] prophesied [spoke under divine inspiration] correctly [well, rightly, with moral integrity] about you [directly, to your face]: word study 8 ‘These people [a specific nation, a group of individuals] honor [show respect, value] Me [emphasizing the speaker, Jesus] with their lips [the edge of something, a symbol of speech], but their hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] are far [at a distance, physically or spiritually] from Me [emphasizing separation, distance]. word study 9 They worship [reverence, adore] Me [I, the Lord] in vain [to no purpose, without genuine heart]; they teach [instruct, guide] as doctrine [teachings, instructions] the precepts [commands, rules] of men [human beings, mortals].’ ” word study 10 Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] called [summoned, invited] the crowd [multitude, large group of people] to Him and said, “Listen [hear, give ear] and understand [comprehend, have insight]. word study 11 A man is not defiled [made unclean, profaned] by what enters [goes into, comes into] his mouth [the physical opening, symbol of speech], but [on the contrary, rather] by what comes out [proceeds, departs] of it [the mouth, the source of words].” word study 12 Then [at that specific point in time] the disciples [learners, followers] came to Him and said, “Are You [do you have spiritual awareness] aware [perceive, see] that the Pharisees [strict religious sect] were offended [caused to stumble, troubled] when they heard [listened, understood] this [the saying, the message]?” word study 13 But Jesus replied, “Every [all, each] plant [a shrub or vegetable] that My [I, the speaker] heavenly [from or in heaven] Father [a male parent, divine caregiver] has not [ouk, completely not] planted [ephyteusen, to set in the earth to grow] will be pulled up [to completely remove] by its roots [from the ground, like a farmer uprooting]. word study 14 Disregard [let them alone, pay no attention to] them! They are [spiritually] blind [lacking spiritual insight] guides [leaders, directors]. If a blind [without spiritual perception] man leads [guides, directs] a blind [lacking discernment] man, both [together, as a pair] will fall [collapse, stumble] into a pit [a ditch, a deep hole].” word study 15 Peter [the rock, a disciple] said to Him [Jesus, the Master], “Explain [declare, make clear] this [the specific] parable [a story teaching a moral lesson] to us [to His disciples, to those who follow Him].” word study 16 “Do [still, even now] you [as my disciples] still [yet, after all this time] not [lack, are without] understand [comprehend, grasp, have insight]?” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] asked [said, inquired]. word study 17 “Do you not yet [at this point in time] realize [understand, comprehend] that whatever [all things] enters [goes into] the mouth [the physical opening for speech and communication] goes into the stomach [belly, womb] and then [afterward] is eliminated [cast out, expelled]? word study 18 But the things [proceeding out, coming forth] that come out of the mouth [the symbol of speech and communication] come from the heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions], and these things [they, those actions] defile [make unclean, profane] a man [a human being, an individual]. word study 19 For out of [from the very core of] the heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] come evil [morally wrong, harmful] thoughts [reasoning, intentions], murder [intentional killing], adultery [unfaithfulness, cheating], sexual immorality [fornication, unclean desires], theft [taking something that doesn’t belong], false testimony [lying under oath, false witness], and slander [blasphemy, speaking evil of others]. word study 20 These [specific, particular] are what [truly, actually] defile [make unclean, profane] a man [human being, person], but eating [consuming, taking in] with unwashed [unpurified, dirty] hands [by one’s own power, without cleansing] does not [in no way, never] defile [make unclean, corrupt] him [the person, the individual].” word study 21 Leaving [withdrawing, departing] that place [from there, thence], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] withdrew [left, departed] to the district [region, coasts] of Tyre [a major port in ancient Phoenicia] and [also, additionally] Sidon [an ancient city in Palestine]. word study 22 And a Canaanite [a woman from the region of Canaan, a Gentile] woman from that region [the area of Tyre and Sidon, the coasts] came to Him, crying out, “Lord [Master, the supreme authority], Son of David [the Messiah, the descendant of King David], have mercy [show compassion, pity] on me! My daughter [a female child, a young girl] is miserably [badly, grievously] possessed [under the power of, demonized] by a demon [an unclean spirit, an evil entity].” word study 23 But Jesus [did not respond at all] did not answer [a single word, no response] a word. So His disciples [the twelve who followed Him] came and urged [besought, asked earnestly] Him, “Send her away [release her, let her go], for she keeps [continually, persistently] crying out [shouting, calling loudly] after us [behind us, following us].” word study 24 He answered [responded to the woman’s plea], “I was sent [dispatched on a mission, appointed] only [exclusively, solely] to the lost [destroyed, wandering] sheep [those who follow a leader, in this case, God] of the house [family, descendants] of Israel [the adopted name of Jacob, God’s chosen people].” word study 25 The woman [she, a Gentile] came [approached, drew near] and knelt [worshipped, bowed down] before Him [as Lord, in reverence]. “Lord [Master, God], help [assist, rescue] me [I, a humble supplicant]!” she said [spoke, with urgency]. word study 26 But Jesus replied, “It is not [right or just] right to take the children’s [born to parents, young ones] bread [food, sustenance] and toss [throw with force, cast away] it to the [little] dogs [small puppies, unclean animals].” word study 27 “Yes, Lord [master],” she said, “even the dogs [little dogs, puppies] eat the crumbs [small pieces of food, morsels] that fall [drop down, collapse] from their master’s [lord] table [dining table, place of provision].” word study 28 “O woman [a female follower],” Jesus [God is salvation] answered, “your faith [trust and confidence in God] is great [abundant and overflowing]! Let it be done for you as [according to] you desire [will or intentionally choose].” And her daughter [a female child] was healed [cured and made whole] from that very hour [a specific time]. word study 29 Moving on [departing, changing location] from there [that place, thence], Jesus [God is salvation, the son of God] went along [came nigh unto, passed by] the Sea [large body of water] of Galilee [a region in Palestine]. Then He went up [ascended, climbed] on a mountain [a high elevation of land] and sat down [took his seat, was seated]. word study 30 Large crowds [great multitudes, huge numbers of people] came to Him, bringing the lame [those who are crippled, broken in body], the blind [those who are physically or spiritually unable to see], the crippled [maimed, wounded], the mute [deaf, unable to speak], and many others [people with various sicknesses, disabilities], and laid them at His feet [before Him, at Jesus’ feet], and He healed them [restored them to health, made them well]. word study 31 The crowd [multitude, large group of people] was amazed [full of wonder, marvelling] when they saw [perceived, looked at] the mute [deaf, unable to speak] speaking [talking, uttering words], the crippled [maimed, broken] restored [made whole, healed], the lame [crippled, unable to walk] walking [living, following], and the blind [physically or spiritually unable to see] seeing [perceiving, understanding]. And they glorified [praised, honored] the God [supreme deity, Creator] of Israel [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. word study 32 Then Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] called His disciples [learners, followers] to Him and said, “I have compassion [pity, sympathy] for this crowd [multitude, large group], because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat [no food]. I do not want to send them away [release] hungry [fasting], or they may faint [become weak] along the way [on the road].” word study 33 The disciples [followers, learners] replied, “Where [whence, from what source] in this desolate [wilderness, solitary] place could we find enough [so much, a sufficient amount] bread [food, loaves] to feed [satisfy, fill] such a large [great, multitude] crowd [group, assembly]?” word study 34 “How many [asking about quantity] loaves [bread or food] do you have [possess or hold]?” Jesus [God is salvation] asked. “Seven [complete or perfect number],” they replied, “and [also or additionally] a few small [small or limited] fish [little fishes].” word study 35 And [also, in addition] He instructed [commanded, gave an order to] the crowd [multitude, large group of people] to sit down [recline, lean back] on [upon, against] the ground [earth, soil, the land]. word study 36 Taking [receiving with gratitude] the seven loaves [bread, a staple food] and the fish [a common food source], He gave thanks [expressing gratitude, praising God] and broke [divided, shared] them. Then He gave [bestowed, granted] them to the disciples [learners, followers], and the disciples gave [distributed, shared] them to the people [the crowd, multitude]. word study 37 They [every single one of them] all ate [and were filled, had enough to eat] and were satisfied [filled to the full, completely content], and the disciples picked up [took away, gathered] seven basketfuls [large containers, like those used to carry food] of broken pieces [fragments, leftovers] that were left over [remaining, exceeding what was needed]. word study 38 A total [complete, entire] of four thousand [5070, a large multitude] men [adult males, husbands] were fed [given food to eat, satisfied], in addition to [beside, apart from] women [females, wives] and children [young ones, youths]. word study 39 After Jesus had dismissed [sent away, released] the crowds [multitudes, large groups of people], He got into [stepped into, climbed aboard] the boat [ship, vessel] and went to [came into, traveled toward] the region [borders, coastal area] of Magadan [Magdala, a place in Palestine]. word study