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⌂ ← MAT 15:1–15:39 → ║ ═ ©

The Gospel of Matthew 15

15 After that, some Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law who were from the city of Jerusalem visited Jesus. They told him, 2 “Your apprentices do not cleanse their hands before they eat. So, they are disobeying the teachings we received from our ancestors. They should not do that!” 3 Jesus replied, “Sometimes you use the teachings that you received to disobey the laws that God gave us. You should not do that! 4 For example, God gave this law: ‘Treat your parents respectfully.’ He also gave this law: ‘Execute anyone who insults his or her parents.’ 5 However, you tell people that they can say to their parents, ‘I have given to God everything that I could have used to provide for you.’ 6 Then, you tell these people that they cannot treat their parents respectfully by providing for them. In that way, you use the teachings that you received to ignore what God commanded. 7 You say that you obey God, but you really do not! Isaiah the prophet was right when God spoke through him about you,

8 ‘You people treat me respectfully when you talk,

but you do not really care about me.

9 When you worship me, it is useless.

That is because you use only what humans have commanded to instruct others.’ ”

10 Then Jesus told the large group of people to come to him. He told them, “Listen to what I am about to say and learn from it. 11 Whatever people eat cannot make them unclean. Rather, it is what people say that makes them unclean.”

12 Later, his apprentices went to him and asked him, “We want you to know that the Pharisees heard what you said and became very upset.” 13 Jesus replied, “Those Pharisees are like plants that God my Father, who rules from heaven, did not plant. He will punish them in same way that he would tear up such plants. 14 Do not listen to them. They do not know what they should be teaching. They are like blind people who guide other blind people right into a hole in the ground.”

15 Peter replied, “Please tell us what that story means.” 16 Jesus answered, “You too have not yet learned what I mean. 17 I want you to realize that everything that people eat simply goes into their stomachs. Eventually, their bodies expel what they ate into toilets. 18 What actually makes people unclean is what they say, which shows what they think and care about. 19 In fact, it is because of what people think and care about that they think evil things, kill others, are sexually unfaithful to their spouses, have improper sex, steal things, speak what is untrue, and say bad things about God or others. 20 It is doing those things that makes people unclean. However, when people do not cleanse their hands before they eat, that does not make them unclean.”

21 After that, Jesus and his apprentices left the region of Gennesaret. They traveled to the areas near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Then, a non-Jewish woman who was from those areas visited Jesus. She called out to him, “My Lord, you who are a descendant of King David, help me! A demon is controlling my daughter and making her suffer.” 23 However, Jesus did not say anything to her. Then his apprentices came to him and said, “This woman is bothering us by following us and calling out to you. Please tell her to go home.” 24 Jesus answered them, “God told me to go only to my fellow Israelites. They are like sheep who have wandered off and need help.” 25 Then the woman approached Jesus. She knelt down in front of him and pled, “My Lord, please help me!” 26 Jesus replied, “Suppose that someone takes food for children and gives it to dogs instead. That is not appropriate! That is why I am not helping you.” 27 The woman replied, “My Lord, what you say is correct. In fact, though, dogs do eat leftovers that their owners spill on the ground. What I am asking you to do is like those leftovers.” 28 When he heard that, Jesus told her, “You have impressed me because you trust me very much! I will do for you what you want me to do.” At that very moment, Jesus cured her daughter.

29 After that, Jesus and his apprentices left the areas near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. They traveled to the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus went up on a hill and sat down. 30 Large groups of people came to him. They brought people who could not walk, people who could not see, people who could not use their hands normally, people who could not speak, and people who were sick in many other ways. They set these people down in front of Jesus. Then, Jesus cured these people. 31 The large group of people saw what Jesus had done. People who could not talk were now speaking. People who could not use their hands normally were now able to do so. People who could not walk were now walking. People who could not see were now seeing. What Jesus had done impressed the large group of people. They praised God whom the Israelites worship.

32 After that, Jesus told his apprentices to come to him. He said to them, “I pity the large group of people. They have already spent three days with me, and they do not have any food to eat. Further, I do not want to tell them to go home while they are hungry, because then they might pass out while they are walking home.” 33 The disciples replied, “In this place where no one lives we certainly do not have enough food for this large group of people to have enough to eat!” 34 Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have with you?” They replied, “We have with us seven loaves of bread and a few little fish.” 35 Then Jesus told the large group of people to sit down on the ground. 36 He picked up the seven loaves of bread and the fish. Then he thanked God for the food. After that, he tore the bread into pieces and gave the pieces to his apprentices. They distributed them to the large groups of people. 37 Everyone ate the bread, and they all had enough to eat. Then the apprentices gathered the food that was left. They filled seven large containers with the leftovers! 38 About 4, 000 men ate the bread, and there were women and children there too!

39 After he told the large groups of people to go home, Jesus climbed into a boat. He and his apprentices sailed to the areas near the town of Magadan.

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