MAT 15:9 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. μάτην
2. matēn
3. uselessly
4. useless
5. 31550
6. D·······
7. uselessly
8. uselessly
9. -
10. Y32
11. 10107
1. Δέ
2. de
3. And
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y32
11. 10108
1. σέβονται
2. sebō
3. they are worshipping
4. worship
5. 45760
6. VIPM3··P
7. ˱they˲ ˓are˒ worshipping
8. ˱they˲ ˓are˒ worshipping
9. -
10. Y32
11. 10109
1. μέ
2. egō
3. me
4. -
5. 14730
6. R···1A·S
7. me
8. me
9. -
10. Y32
11. 10110
1. διδάσκοντες
2. didaskō
3. teaching
4. teach
5. 13210
6. VPPA·NMP
7. teaching
8. teaching
9. -
10. Y32
11. 10111
1. διδασκαλίας
2. didaskalia
3. teachings
4. -
5. 13190
6. N····AFP
7. teachings
8. teachings
9. -
10. Y32
11. 10112
1. ἐντάλματα
2. entalma
3. as +the commands
4. commands
5. 17780
6. N····ANP
7. ˱as˲ ˓the˒ commands
8. ˱as˲ ˓the˒ commandments
9. -
10. Y32
11. 10113
1. ἀνθρώπων
2. anthrōpos
3. of humans
4. human
5. 4440
6. N····GMP
7. ˱of˲ humans
8. ˱of˲ humans
9. -
10. Y32
11. 10114

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 15:1–20: The deeds that make someone unclean in God’s eyes

Over the years, Jewish religious leaders added many oral rules to God’s written laws. The Pharisees and teachers of the law considered these oral rules (also called traditions) to be as important as God’s written laws. One of their rules was that a person must wash his hands a certain way before he ate food. If a Jew did not follow this rule before he ate, they considered him ceremonially “unclean.” This meant that they did not allow him to worship God in public for a certain amount of time. Jesus made it clear that there was something far more important than how a person washed his hands. The important thing was the condition of his heart.

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus Challenges the Pharisees’ Traditions (GW)

Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity/Cleanliness

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 7:1–23 and Luke 11:37–39.

15:9a

They worship Me in vain;

They worship/praise me, but it has no value/worth.
When they pray to God, it is useless,

They: When Isaiah spoke, the word they referred to the Jewish people who did not worship God properly. When Jesus quoted what Isaiah said, he used it to refer to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. If you have used the phrase “you people” in 15:8a, it will probably be best to continue using it here.

worship Me: The Greek word that the BSB translates as worship means to “show devotion and reverence” to God or a false god. People worship God in many ways. They give offerings and sacrifices, they pray, they bow down or kneel to show respect and submission, they serve him obediently, and they speak or sing about him.

In this context the meaning of worship is similar to the meaning of “honor” in 15:8a.

Here are some other ways to translate worship:

They praise me

They pray to me

Me: The word Me refers to God.

in vain: The Greek word that the BSB translates as in vain means “to no purpose,” “uselessly,” or “without result.” This word indicates that their worship has no result or no benefit.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

Their worship of me is pointless (GW)

Their worship of me is worthless (NCV)

They praise me, but it has no value

When they pray to me, I am not touched/pleased.

15:9b

they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

They teach man-made rules as if they were my laws.’ ”
because they teach man’s rules and say that they are God’s commandments.’ ”

The clause in 15:9b is the basis for the statement in 15:9a that people were worshiping in vain. Some English versions make this clear by adding a connecting word. For example:

because they teach human rules as though they were my laws (GNT)

they teach as doctrine the precepts of men: The word doctrine refers to God’s laws. The phrase precepts of men refers to man-made rules.

This clause means that the Pharisees and scribes taught the rules that they made themselves. Not only that, they taught these rules as if they came from God.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

they teach human rules as though they were my laws! (GNT)

they teach man-made ideas as commands from God (NLT)

they teach their own rules and say that they are rules/laws from God

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

δὲ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: μάτην Δέ σέβονται μέ διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων)

Here, the word But introduces the next idea in the quotation. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces the next idea, or you could leave But untranslated. Alternate translation: [Further,]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διδάσκοντες

teaching

Here, the word teaching introduces a reason why their worship is in vain. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces a reason. Alternate translation: [since they teach]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων

teachings ˱as˲_˓the˒_commandments ˱of˲_humans

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of doctrines and commandments, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [as authoritative what men have commanded]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων

˱as˲_˓the˒_commandments ˱of˲_humans

Here, Isaiah is using the possessive form to describe commandments that are given by men. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: [things commanded by men]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀνθρώπων

˱of˲_humans

Although the term men is masculine, Isaiah is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: [of people]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear MAT 15:9

SR Greek word order

Section 15:1–20: The deeds that make someone unclean in God’s eyes

15:9a

15:9b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)