THE BIBLE
Matthew
Chapter 15

15:1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,
15:2 "Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat bread."
15:3 He answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?
15:4 For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'
15:5 But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,"
15:6 he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.
15:7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
15:8 'These people draw near to me with their mouth, And honor me with their lips; But their heart is far from me.
15:9 And in vain do they worship me, Teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"
15:10 He summoned the multitude, and said to them, "Hear, and understand.
15:11 That which enters into the mouth doesn't defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
15:12 Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?"
15:13 But he answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father didn't plant will be uprooted.
15:14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit."
15:15 Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us."
15:16 So Jesus said, "Do you also still not understand?
15:17 Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body?
15:18 But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
15:19 For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
15:20 These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn't defile the man."
15:21 Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.
15:22 Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely demonized!"
15:23 But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us."
15:24 But he answered, "I wasn't sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
15:25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."
15:26 But he answered, "It is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
15:27 But she said, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
15:28 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that hour.
15:29 Jesus departed there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.
15:30 Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them,
15:31 so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, injured whole, lame walking, and blind seeing--and they glorified the God of Israel.
15:32 Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way."
15:33 The disciples said to him, "Where should we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?"
15:34 Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."
15:35 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;
15:36 and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
15:37 They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.
15:38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
15:39 Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.

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