- 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.
- 10 And 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.
- 21 Then 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.
- 32 Then 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
MATTHEW 15
Read the chapter, follow a linked verse, and continue into related Watchman 33 teaching.
CHAPTER VISUAL
Matthew 15 — Jesus exposes heart-level defilement and answers a Canaanite mother’s persistent faith with mercy.
About this illustration
The woman’s appeal is the chapter’s focal scene; her daughter’s deliverance is implied at home rather than dramatized. The dog and crumbs follow the conversation without diminishing the woman’s dignity.
Scripture basis: Matthew 15:1–39King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom
EXPLORE THE MESSAGE
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Archaeological Evidence
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Music
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A sober prayer for spiritual sight that confronts self-deception, religious pride, shallow Bible reading, and blind leadership—calling believers to receive correction, obey the Word, examine their hearts, and be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.