Matthew 15

Matthew · Chapter 15

Matthew 15:2

1Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.3But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?4For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.5But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;6And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.7Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.10And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:11Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.12Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.15Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.16And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?17Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.21Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.29And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.30And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:31Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.32Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?34And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.35And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.37And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.38And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.39And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
Because ofδιὰdiaG1223
through/because of

διά (dia) διά (before a vowel δ᾽, exc. Rom.8:10, 2Co.5:7, and in (Proper name)s; Tdf., Pr., 94), prep. with genitive, accusative, as in cl.; 1. with genitive, through; (i) of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mat.2:12 12:43, Mrk.2:23, Luk.4:30, Jhn.4:4, 2Co.11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, 1Co.3:15, 1Pe.3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; metaphorically, of a state or condition: Rom.14:20, 2Co.2:4 5:7, 10; δ. γράμματος, ἀκροβυστίας (Lft., Notes, 263, 279), Rom.2:27 4:11; δι ̓ὑπομενῆς, Rom.8:25. (ii) Of Time; …

whyτίtiG5101
which?

τίς (tis) τίς, neut., τί, genitive, τίνος, interrog. pron., [in LXX for מָה ,מִי ;] in masc. and fem., who, which, what?; in neut., which, what?, used both in direct and in indirect questions. I. I. As subst., 1. 1. masc., fem.: τίς; who, what?, Mat.3:7 26:68; Mrk.11:28, Luk.9:9, al. mult.; with genitive partit., Act.7:52, Heb.1:5, al; before ἐκ (= genitive partit.), Mat.6:27, Luk.14:28, Jhn.8:46; = ποῖος, Mrk.4:41 6:2, Luk.19:3, Act.17:19, al.; = πότερος (M, Pr., 77), Mat.21:31 27:17, Luk.22:27, al.; = ὅς or ὅστις (rare in cl.; cf. Bl., §50, 5; M, Pr., 93), Act.13:25. …

disciplesμαθηταίmathētaiG3101
disciple

μαθητής (mathētēs) μαθητής, -οῦ, ὁ (μανθάνω), [in LXX only as seel. (A) in Jer.13:21 20:11 26(46):9 * ;] a disciple: opposite to διδάσκαλος, Mat.10:24, Luk.6:40; Ἰωάννου, Mat.9:14, Luk.7:18, Jhn.3:25; τ. Φαρισσίων, Mat.22:16, Mrk.2:18, Luk.5:33; Μωυσέως, Jhn.9:28; Ἰησοῦ, Luk.6:17 7:11 19:37, Jhn.6:66 7:3 19:38; esp. the twelve, Mat.10:1 11:1, Mrk.7:17, Luk.8:9, Jo 2:2, al.; later, of Christians generally, Act.6:1, 2 7 9:19, al.; τ. κυρίου, Act.9:1. (AS)

of YouσουsouG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

breakπαραβαίνουσινparabainousinG3845
to transgress

παραβαίνω (parabainō) παρα-βαίνω [in LXX for סוּר, עָבַר, פָּרַר, שָׂטָה, etc. ;] 1. in Hom. (twice), to go by the side of, stand beside. 2. In Æsch., Herod., Thuc., al., to go past or pass over, chiefly metaphorically, to overstep, violate, transgress (Jos.7:11, Eze.16:59, Sir.40:14, al.) : τ. παράδοσιν, Mat.15:2; τ. ἐντολήν, Mat.15:3; before ἀπό (as מִן סוּר, Deu.17:20, al.), to turn aside, fall away (cf. π. τῆς ἀληθείας, Arist., Cael., i, 5, 2): Act.1:25.† (AS)

traditionπαράδοσινparadosinG3862
tradition

παράδοσις (paradosis) παρά-δοσις, -εως, ἡ (παραδίδωμι), [in LXX: Est.7:26 (אֵסוּר), Jer.32:4 (נָתַן ni.), Jer.34:2 * ;] 1. a handing down or over, transfer, transmission (Arist., Polyb., al., LXX). 2. tradition of doctrine (Plat., Epict., al.); by meton., of the doctrine itself : Mat.15:2-3, 6, Mrk.7:3, 1Co.11:2, Gal.1:14, Col.2:8, 2Th.2:15 3:9.† (AS)

elders?πρεσβυτέρων;presbuterōnG4245G
elder: Elder

πρεσβύτερος (presbuteros) πρέσβυς, -εως, ὁ poët. form of πρεσβύτης (which see), [in LXX (= πρεσβευτής, an ambassador): Num.21:20 (21), al. (מֲלְאָךְ), Isa.13:8 57:9 (צִיר), 1Ma.9:70, al. ;] an old man. Compar., πρεσβύτερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX chiefly for זָקֵן ;] 1. of age, elder: ὁ νἱὸς ὁ π., Luk.15:25; as subst., opposite to νεανίσκοι, Act.2:17; to νεώτερος, 1Ti.5:1-2; of the religious leaders of the past, Mat.15:2, Mrk.7:3, 5, Heb.11:2 (= οἱ πατέρες, Heb.1:1). …

NotοὐouG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

forγὰρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

they washνίπτονταιniptontaiG3538
to wash

νίπτω (niptō) νίπτω late form of νίζω, [in LXX chiefly for רָחַץ ;] to wash, usually of a part of the body: with accusative of person(s), Jhn.13:8; τ. πόδας, Jhn.13:5-6, 8 13:12, 14, 1Ti.5:10; mid., reflexive, to wash oneself: Jhn.9:7, 11 9:15; τ. χεῖρας, Mat.15:2, Mrk.7:3; τ. πόδας, Jhn.13:10; τ. πρόσωπον, Mat.6:17 (in cl. Att.. prose, used only in compounds; cf. ἀπο-νίπτω).† νίζω, see: νίπτω SYN.: λούω (which see), πλύνω (AS)

handsχεῖραςcheirasG5495
hand

χείρ (cheir) χείρ, genitive, χειρος (accusative, χεῖραν, 1Pe.5:6 T), ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for יָד ;] the hand: Mat.3:12, Mrk.3:1, Luk.6:6, al. mult.; ἡ χ., acting subject, Luk.22:21; pl., Act.17:25 20:34, 1Jn.1:1; τ. ἔργα τῶν χ., Act.7:41, Rev.9:20; ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τ. ἐμῇ χ., 1Co.16:21, Col.4:18, 2Th.3:17; prepositional phrases, esp. those without art., similar to Heb. constructions (Bl., §32, 4; 40, 9; 46, 9), ἐν χ.; with genitive (Lft., in l.), Gal.3:19; σὺν χ. ἀγγέλου, Act.7:35; διὰ (τῶν) χειρῶν (διὰ χειρός), Mrk.6:2, Act.5:12 7:25, al.; ἐπὶ χειρῶν, Mat.4:6, Luk.4:11; ellipse of χ. (ἡ δεξία, ἀριστερα; Bl., § …

of themαὐτῶνautōnG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

whenὅτανhotanG3752
when(-ever)

ὅταν (hotan) ὅταν (for ὅτ᾽ ἄν = ὅτε ἄν), temporal particle, with a conditional sense, usually of things expected to occur in an indefinite future; 1. prop., whenever; (a) (a) with subjc. praes.: Mat.6:2, 5 Mrk.14:7, Luk.11:36, Jhn.7:27, Act.23:35, 1Co.3:4, al.; ἕως τ. ἡμέρας ἐκείνης, ὅ., Mat.26:29, Mrk.14:25; before τότε, 1Th.5:3; (b) with subjc. aor. (M, Pr., 185): Mat.5:11, Mrk.4:15, Luk.6:22, Jhn.2:10 8:28 (Field, Notes, 94), 10:4, al. …

breadἄρτονartonG0740
bread

ἄρτος (artos) ἄρτος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for לֶחֶם ;] bread, a loaf: Mat.4:3, 4 Mrk.3:20, al.; ἄρτοι τ. προθέσεως, bread of the setting forth, i.e. the shewbread. Metaphorical, ὁ ἄ. τ. θεοῦ, τ. ζωῆς, ref. to Christ, Jhn.6:33, 35; in general, food: Mat.6:11, al.; ἄ. φαγεῖν (Heb. אֲכֹל לֶחֶם), to eat (MM, see word), Lu 14:1, al. (AS)

they may eat.ἐσθίωσιν.¶esthiōsinG2068
to eat

ἐσθίω (esthiō) ἐσθίω, and (poet, and late prose) ἔσθω, [in LXX chiefly for אכל ;] to eat; (a) absol.: Mat.14:20, 21 Mrk.6:31, Jhn.4:31, al.; ἐν τ. φαγεῖν (on this aor. form, see M, Pr., 111), 1Co.11:21; διδόναι φαγεῖν, with dative of person(s), Mrk.5:43, al.; ἐ. καὶ πίνειν, Mat.6:25, 31 Luk.10:7, al.; of ordinary use of food and drink, 1Co.9:4 11:22; of partaking of food at table, Mrk.2:16, Luk.5:30, al.; opposite to fasting, Mat.11:18, Luk.5:33, al.; of revelling, Mat.24:49, Luk.12:45 . …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.